Wife of Silverlance
by Arwen Ravenwood
Summary: The past cannot be forgotten. I can sense it stirring the air and the lingering words of a vow made long ago, haunts my mind. Prince Nuada, 'Silverlance', son to King Balor and my beloved husband shall return and in his wake, he shall unleash hell. And as much as it will ruin my heart, I find that it is my burden to stop him.
1. Chapter 1

The snow was drifting in the air like seeds blown from a dandelion, as I walked across the land I could scarcely recognise to be the same earth, I had once known. So much had changed. In my mind, the word brutalized played a part in what I saw. There was no more colour where I looked. The tall buildings and stone did not shine with the same vibrancy despite their bright city lights. Everything was grey and murky.

I thought that my ascent from the underground would at least allow me to see the stars again. A sight I have quite forgotten. But alas, the clouds, smoke and fog have deemed it not to be.

I should not have been surprised. I knew of the war that the humans had fought and how it called for heavy machinery and lives lost. It would seem once their feud with my people came to a truce, this young species turned to fighting each other, to feed their violent nature.

Such a pity…

I did hope they would have evolved to being better than they were.

I should hate them as he does.

Long ago, I did try to hate them.

They were after all to blame for all my grief, except the capacity to do so, was beyond my capability. Instead, I find that I carry nothing but pity and sadness. Even now my eyes glisten with unshed tears and it stalls me, for a moment or two, from the task at hand.

Hidden in an alleyway, I regain my composure, ensuring that my hood is still drawn to conceal my face before I leave the shadows. It is a compound I make my way towards, with my hand levitated and open to make my ability to sense things far more effective. Truly, I only have a name to go by and the power it possesses. Strange it would lead me here. I had expected security to be much more profound rather than a metal fence topped off with barbed wire. If the humans understood the magnitude of the demons potential at all, I should at least find trespassing extremely difficult, even for an elf. I was, however, disappointed that there was no challenge. I do somewhat crave a surge of adrenaline, which is understandable since I have spent centuries in hiding with nothing to do but watch as my noble race fades.

Linking my pale fingers through the fence, I gazed up and sighed. All I need do is take a few steps backwards and leap, making a silent landing on the other side, which is exactly what I did. Not even the watchdogs cared to give me away, should they have dared, and at this point, I almost wished that they would have. I was curious to test the human's guns and see if I could deflect a bullet with my blade. Smiling to myself, I questioned my sanity and walked on.

Passing a number of bunkers, their little glass windows illuminated by a warm glow, I peered into each one. Some men drank in company, some alone, the prior laughed, the latter solemn. They appeared to be celebrating something, each in their own way. I wondered what could be the cause. We children of the earth did not need much reason to throw some festivity or another and to be called decadent would have been an understatement. I wish we could return to those times of merriment, if just for a moment. It would be nice to prove to ourselves that, that time was not a dream. For it sometimes feels that way.

Lost in my thoughts, the sudden exposure to the demons presence hit me like a stone wall, stopping me dead in my tracks.

Slowly I turned my head and the figure was clear to see as I moved closer to the clear glass, and gasped.

He had his back to me at first, wearing strangely striped garments. In one hand a hideous doll was held, while the other was made of stone, a giant key I knew, and it rested heavily by his side. Now and then, his shoulders buckled in laughter, and as if I were standing by the demons side, I could hear its innocent sound and I could not be more confused.

He was…a boy.

Not a monster.

Such happiness I sensed emanating off of him.

Happiness and love.

Had I not known better, and my eye sight poor, I would have said that he was a human child. Only his exposed skin was a fiery red and his skull had the two protrusions of horns. However, despite all that, I could not fear him, nor think he would want to cause me harm, or anyone else for that matter.

As he laughed again, I found it contagious and for the first time in I don't know how long, I joined in with my own, all the while thinking how I could sit and observe him for hours on end, amused and fascinated by every action he made.

Suddenly, another figure stepped onto the scene and instinct caused me to duck, with just my golden eyes peering over the window ledge.

He was an older man and unmistakably human, with a pair of spectacles perched on the edge of his nose. He moved to silence some box, which had baffled me at first glance, and to darken the moving pictures paraded on its surface. Crossing his arms firmly, the man addressed the child, negotiating the terms concerning his bedtime and I smiled at both their stubbornness, but it was easy to see the man could not refuse the boys asking for a tale before he sleeps.

How peculiar they looked. Their differences obvious and striking to the naked eye and yet I could tell just by being near them, that they were at total ease and comfort with one another. This aging man, he has for some years been a father to the demon and because of that, I found my explanation for the child's surprising character.

How I longed to touch their hands, so that I could gather the history of this unlikely parent and child for myself. It was almost painful to sit here and wonder about them both and I continued to do so, until the man, after some deliberation, retrieved his chosen book from among his collection and began to read the first page.

Instantly, my blood ran cold and my mind could focus on nothing but the sound of the reader's deep voice.

He was telling the child of the Golden Army.

How strange to hear it told as a story when to me it was memory.

A very dark and painful memory...

In regards to elven years, I was a young woman then. My parent's victims to the wars raged by the humans and their desire to expand across the earth, leaving me an orphan and unacquainted with the time that man, beast and all magical beings existed together beneath the father tree.

Much blood was spilt with each battle to have been fought on lands, which had once been so beautiful and pure. What could anyone do but look on in dread at the thousands of corpses, and despair at the prospect that it may never end, until the very last falls.

But one day, the master of the goblin blacksmiths offered to build the king a golden mechanical army, seventy times seventy soldiers that would never know hunger and could not be stopped. Prince Nuada begged his father to agree, which was when I made my entrance into the throne room.

Unfortunately, I was not my usual self. I was victim to the war once more. Only the loss was not my parents, a pair I had scarcely known, but rather a much beloved sibling found in my brother Corvin, whose butchered body had just been returned to me.

Sorrow, it was like a poison coursing through my veins and weakening my resolve. By the time I reached the three gathered before me, a dark mist had consumed my spirit rendering me cold and unfeeling. No matter how bright the sun shone, I could not have felt any warmth that day nor appreciate a birds song. The world in my eyes was damned and I knew of nothing that would save it but the annihilation of all humans. So when asked my opinion on the matter, I agreed entirely and with that, the king ordered the army to be built.

I remember how I collapsed in the arms of the one thing I had left, when the goblin and king left to discuss things further. The one elf that could put breath back in my lungs again as he kissed my lips and pulled me in close so that I could gain some strength, from the power of our hearts beating as one. My husband, the Prince Nuada to whom I owed my entire existence, vowed to me that day that he would see me bask in the meadows, relishing in happiness and peace once more, if it was the last thing he do.

And so, in the days that followed, a magical crown was forged which would allow those of royal blood to command the army if unchallenged and before his people, no one dared dispute the king.

It did not take long for the army to be of need, when next our enemies forces gathered, only this time they felt the earth tremble beneath their feet and saw the sky darken with monstrous shapes.

The golden army had no remorse, felt no loyalty or pain.

Against those of little more than flesh and bone, the golden army was ruthless and the humans could not withstand them. Their lives were extinguished. Even women and children were among those of the dead. I can still remember the sound of their screams and then the eerie silence that followed. I thought that I would be pleased, but instead I was disgusted at myself for playing my part in their slaughter and begged that my father-in-law show the mercy his army lacked.

King Balor did not need much persuasion. His heart was already heavy with regret the same as mine and so, he called a truce and divided the crown into three pieces, one for the humans and two for himself. In exchange, man would keep to the cities and the magical beings would own the forests.

This truce would be honoured until the end of time.

However, prince Nuada did not believe in the promises of man and deemed his father's actions cowardly, before focusing the blame for the truce on the one person he would not have suspected to betray him so badly. For that was the cause for his pain. Betrayal, it cut him like a wound and the more he looked at me, the more it festered, until he turned away and went into exile, vowing to return the day when his people needed him most.

Now the army lays dormant, locked inside the earth and there it is to this day, waiting for when the crown is made whole again.

I cannot say what happened to me during those early years. In truth, no matter how hard I try, I cannot remember. All I can say is that there was no life inside of me. I was no more than a vacant vessel without him. When elves are born, they are done so with what is essentially a divided soul and that somewhere there is another to complete them. Once their mate is found, the union which tethers them body and soul is far more literal, rather than just a symbolic declaration.

It is almost impossible to stay alive without them near.

But for my people I learnt how to carry on.

Consumed by my past, the different voice to penetrate my ears, worked to pull me back to the present and I found that I was shaking, almost crippled by the loss of the one I love and it took a lot more self-control to regain my composure.

"What does inde, industrible?" the child asked.

With the book sealed within his hands the man looked to child and answered his question.

"Indestructible, it means it cannot be destroyed"

How I envied them that. I have been shattered into pieces, which the centuries have had me feel I am made a mockery of, considering it has taken so long to try and salvage some of my former self. But still, there remain large, gaping cracks which I am reminded of daily and could for the most part numb myself too with enough practice, however, hearing the tale of the golden army, has peeled the scabs off of old wounds and I find my body now aches and stings and throbs…

"But it's just a story right, pap?" I glared at the boy and his bucked tooth grin, the thought of possibility gleaming wildly behind his eye, though his better judgment wished to question it.

The old man was preparing to the leave the room, addressing the boy amused.

"Is it now?"

"Yeah those guys, they're not actually real?" it was interesting he would doubt the existence of elves and the golden army, when his own reflection in the mirror, should prove that things aren't always so black and white. That the world carries secrets and just because they are not remembered, seen or believed, does not mean they are not real.

My own train of thought must have equalled to the old mans and he smiled fondly and said, "Well, my son. I am sure we'll find out"

And with that, he turned around and stared directly at me, acknowledging my presence with an inclination of his head.


	2. Chapter 2

_'_ _What is this,' I questioned, 'have I been here before?'_

 _I would think that true; because although I could scarcely see anything, since a bright light consumed the scene, the atmosphere was familiar and the air too. I lifted a hand delicately from my side as if it was something to touch. This was a quiet moment, where the world is still and there's just you coming to grips with the comfort and warmth and security…_

 _Dare I say it felt like, home._

 _As soon as the word crossed my mind, I heard in the distance a sweet sound of music. Instruments crafted and played with elven hands, as voices like ethereal waves rose to wash over me, allowing the music to flow through my veins. They complimented each other perfectly, as the songs spoke of golden leaves cascading down to grace a city deep at the core of the earth._

 _Born of dream, and a haven of wonders, it is here, in this mystical realm, that the kingdom of Bethmora stood._

 _Suddenly a strong wind gusted around my body, lifting my hair and beating my clothes rapidly but I was unafraid, and my feet firm. I embraced the force, and was revitalised and I couldn't remember where I had come from. Where the place was that I had closed my eyes to sleep and dream, for there is no doubt in my mind that this was all my minds imaginings coming alive to haunt me._

 _It was far too sweet with a threat of things turning sour and in reality I would take heed of that. But in a dream, I dive in, like a hopeful fool._

 _My brows furrowed in wonder when I felt a few tugs at my skirt. I hadn't wanted to open my eyes yet, for I was still savouring the relief inside of me, but when I did, slowly and with a few moments for my sight to become clear, I was greeted by something lovely. It was a small elven child, with large golden eyes, snowy white skin, and long silver hair. He could not be more than ten years old, such a brief moment in time for us elves, and the road only goes on longer._

 _He smiled at me innocently and bowed his head, acknowledging me by title in the ancient tongue, "Princess."_

 _I smiled and bent down to his level. Tucking a strand of hair behind his pointed ears, an elven child was a beautiful being, for they are rare among our kind and thus, greatly treasured. It had always been my desire to have such a precious bundle to call my own._

 _"_ _Hello little one." I answered._

 _Speaking in the elven language, it was as easy as breathing and I've missed it, since I found English extremely difficult to master._

 _Extending his hand for me to take he said, "I am to be your escort my lady."_

 _I was amused by his show of courtesy, "My escort, and where might we be going?"_

 _He turned to the side, as if that were the signal for two massive oaken doors to appear out of nowhere and then creak open and when they did, I gasped from what I could see._

 _Gently the boy whispered, "They're waiting?"_

 _My voice started to shake, "Waiting for what?"_

 _Again he showed me his hand, "you."_

 _"_ _Then my dear child," I rose to stand on my feet as I accepted his offer, "by your lead."_

 _We stared at one another beaming, and then began our walk through the doors._

 _With each movement I made, I was aware of the fine fabric of my gown rippling in effect. I was a young girl when last these designs where the height of elven fashion and they had always been my favourite. This dress in particular was a vibrant blue, which faded to a darker shade towards the end of the skirt, and it was held up by nothing more than a thick, golden collar, embellished with diamonds. It would have hung loose if it were not for the matching filigree belt, which inched it in at the waist with some added detail of chains woven through, with more diamonds attached at each end. What's more, as was typical of me, my hair was slick and smooth, reaching to the back of my knees and adorned with a royal coronet. It was a most extravagant attire, rich to the very last detail, but then, so was everyone else's._

 _As I stepped into the past, all around me was a gathering of haunting apparitions, wearing faces I had known, if not forgotten, as I waded through the throne room, having let go of the child's hand, so that I might behold and admire what was memory. Together they were laughing, bathed in rich tones of red and gold. I could only wander as the humble spectator to their joviality, because I feared that if I touched them, they would disappear._

 _"_ _What is the occasion?" I asked and noticed that the child wasn't there anymore. I turned to look for him among the crowd but he was gone and I was left to my own devices, standing at the centre of the throne room, where the great roots of a tree, veined through the ceiling and dripped with crystal, while being illuminated by fireflies._

 _The music had never stopped. Not for an instant. And I began to twirl, raising my arms as I picked up the pace, like my soul told me to do, as it took control over my body. I couldn't care for who watched me. In the sun or rain, this dance would be the same, as I was expressing what I haven't felt in years, happiness. And happy I was._

 _However, I did become aware of everyone looking at me, and the room turning still. Curiosity led me to take a peep, only to find that I was wrong._

 _A few hundred golden eyes were not directed at me. Instead, they looked passed to the where the empty thrones had stood. But they hadn't been empty. A figure now stood above us all, and it was his eyes I had felt and once I returned their stare, I was captured by their irises, unable to look any other direction._

 _My body trembled._

 _"_ _Nuada," I choked._

 _How could it be that in the time that we have been parted, I could forget the way in which he moves?_

 _A warrior there is no doubt, strong and powerfully built is he, and yet his body manages to look so elegant and agile as he descends the stairs, bringing him closer. His usual stoic expression was overpowered by a proud smile and I felt my cheeks burn, wondering if I were the reason._

 _As he walked towards me, I took the time to appraise him from top to bottom, since I could do nothing but gaze at him. His tunic had a high collar and long sleeves, the vibrant blue embroidered with a dark thread, in a design that reminded my like the fine strands of a spiders web. His knee high boots made his legs appear longer and his strides sharper. He was so handsome, a true prince and so close was he now, that my fingers twitched to reach out and touch him._

 _"_ _If this is a dream, I pray by all the gods that I never wake," my voice was barely above a whisper, and his eyes softened, grabbing a hold of my hand and cupping it against his cheek._

 _I expected it to past through him at the last minute and I panicked, but he was flesh and blood, and while stroking my thumb along his skin, I stopped thinking of what could go wrong and concentrated on being together again._

 _"_ _This is no dream. You need not worry, my love." he assured and I believed him._

 _Nuada grinned and moved my hand to rest palm to palm with his own, while the other slipped to the small of my back._

 _"_ _Dance with me," it wasn't an option. If Nuada wanted you to do something, you did it. Often I refused just to annoy him, but in this instance, I didn't want to let him down, though I was hesitant._

 _"_ _I don't think I remember," I stuttered, because it was true._

 _I had hated the intricacy of dance since I was a girl, feeling awkward when doing so and conscious of every step, yet still managing to tread on my partners feet. People stopped asking after a while and I never cared for an invitation, choosing to remain hidden behind a pillar, or standing out on a balcony appreciating the view. That changed once I was mated with Nuada and dancing was a skill a princess must accomplish. But I found that while Nuada was my partner, dancing was all too easy. I just trusted him to guide me and it worked._

 _He must have read my thoughts for the next thing he said was, "follow my lead."_

 _"_ _When have I not…"_

 _For some reason the words felt false and I was confused, I thought that even Nuada flinched, but it was only for a second, because the next thing I knew, we were gliding across the marble floor. Now and then he would lift me up in the air and twirl me around and the court would shower us with praise. It was just as everything was, and I allowed myself to get carried away, growing confident in what I was doing._

 _When we re-joined, I pressed the side of my face into his chest, and we resorted to just swaying with the music. Enamoured with his presence, I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent, my lips graced with a content smile. The way he was rocking me, I could have fallen asleep, but I braced another look, wishing our people would give us this moment in private, however, although they were still there, they were not as joyous._

 _It was a queer expression I find difficult to describe, there was defiantly sorrow etched in their features and, was it expectation? But what could they be waiting on._

 _Without warning, I had to narrow my eyes, for I could have sworn that there were black lines appearing against their pale skin. Black lines which grew longer and thicker, making the skin look like dried dirt._

 _"_ _Nuada…" my heart began to beat like a humming bird's wing after being so calm. My tone sharp and alarmed._

 _Gravely Nuada, with his chin resting on my head, replied "Yes, my love?"_

 _I said nothing but continued to examine each individual and they were all the same, black lines emerging and branching off to create more. It was as if, they were cracking._

 _This time I screamed, "Nuada!"_

 _Pushing off his chest, he grabbed me firmly as my head snapped from left to right, distressed by the courts fracturing flesh and at first they didn't seem to care. However, the child from earlier had elbowed his way to the front row and completely horrified, since he was no different from the others, began to scream, as the condition became more severe and turned his skin grey like stone, while it started to crumble._

 _I mirrored the child's fear and struggled under Nuada's strong grasp, wanting to rush towards the boy and help him if I could, but I couldn't escape my husband and I sobbed as the beautiful boys face was gone and now fell, like the rest of him, to the ground as tiny fragments._

 _"_ _What's happening to them!"_

 _I had never seen anything like it before. No one was being spared other than myself and Nuada. Was it fear that made them scream, or pain, or perhaps a combination of the two. Either way my heart was being torn, witnessing my people endure such horror._

 _Arching his neck to try and get in my view, Nuada told me simply, which proved more frightening than if he shared my terror, "Why, you did this."_

 _Confused, I thought him mad. How could I make this happen, as if by some vile source of magic I would ever want someone to suffer in this manner. It was barbaric._

 _"_ _What do you mean?"_

 _Pressing his lips to my ear, his voice was acidic, filled with so much hate and loathing. I froze from its cruelty._

 _"_ _Our people are dying and it's all because you were too weak to save them from the destruction of the humans. I thought that was obvious."_

 _Shaking my head, I was so naïve to think he would not bring the golden army into the equation. After more than a thousand years, it still haunts the both of us._

 _"_ _No, no you're wrong!"_

 _True the chaos happening here was a terrible site, more so than the aftermath of the golden army, for the reason that I had not known those humans, as I did nearly the integrity of the people here, so their loss was far more substantial. However, I was still determined in my belief, that locking the golden army away was the right decision and disputing that, proved infuriating._

 _"_ _Am I? Well look for yourself. They are fading into dust and they have no one else to blame here but you, my precious_ _ **Nimue**_ _!"_

 _He spat my name as if it were a poison in his mouth and cast me aside, turning his back as a final note and returning to his throne. As soon as he let me go, the whole room started to collapse and I was brought to my knees by a tidal force of abandonment, shaking uncontrollably with tears streaming down my face. Abandonment was a devastating emotion, and I scarcely survived the last time he did this to me. I couldn't go through all that again, not now, not ever. But I could do nothing but scream his name._

 _Over and over I pleaded with him, until my throat bled._

 _"…_ _Nuada, Nuada, NUADA!"_

That's when I jolted awake panting and with a sheen of sweat on my brow and there were no more ruins and no more dust, only the B.P.R.D's library and the tank where Abraham swam.

Removing his headphones, he was pressed to the glass looking awfully concerned when he asked, "Nimue, are you alright?"


	3. Chapter 3

I was still shaken, and a little disorientated from the nightmare I had just awakened from. I needed a moment just to gather my wits, keeping in mind that the longer I took, the more concerned Abraham would get. But I couldn't rush calming the emotions storming within. I had to wait for them to pass when they were ready. So I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled the anxiety and fear out of my system. After a minute, there was a considerable difference to my body. My muscles weren't as tight or as rigid, and they relaxed into the comfortable armchair, while my train of thought clarified.

I was in the middle of gently rubbing my temples, on the verge of an impressive migraine, when Abraham called again, "Nimue?"

My fingers stopped the circular motion, as I angled my head slightly to face Abraham in that bright aqua void of his.

"Oh, I'm sorry Abraham. I didn't mean to worry you."

He had a slight bobbing action while under the water and kicked his webbed feet very slowly. The water was essential to his existence and so were books. That's why Abraham's tank was located here in the library, with four podiums standing before it, so that he could read them without spoiling the pages, providing him with something to do, since not much could be done, in what was technically, his bedroom.

Hellboy would often ridicule the dilemma now and again, by dumping inflatable toys in the tank. I don't know how many times I've strolled in to see a ridiculous shark drifting on by, or a collection of bright yellow ducks. The trouble is, he needs someone to turn the pages for him, and since I enjoyed browsing through the collection we have on the shelves, it was a task I didn't mind doing on his behalf. Which reminded me…

Gathering myself up, I walked on over to the podiums, licking the tips of my fingers and turning each of the pages. Reaching the last book, I slunked down to the red carpeted floor and crossed my legs with Abraham's curious glare still targeted at me.

"You screamed," he stated.

Out of nervous habit, I plucked a strand of hair and stroked it to keep me distracted, avoiding eye contact. I couldn't lie to him, a scream, such as the one I projected, was hard to deny, and Abraham was too smart. I saw no other option other than to stick with the truth, as much as I could.

"If you must know, I have been having nightmares these past few months… and they're getting worse."

Abraham weighed himself down to the bottom of the tank, resting directly opposite, with only a thick sheet of glass between us.

"That's a shame. Care to elaborate?"

Biting my lip, I was almost tempted to take him up on the offer. But I restrained myself and carried on stroking my hair.

Would you believe that now that the professor was dead, no one here knew my true identity?

I have kept it hidden these past sixty years, under the façade that I was merely a rogue elf the professor took pity on one night and had given sanctuary to as a result.

The reason behind it was simple.

In losing Nuada; I had also lost myself in the process, and had become a shadow of the elf I had once been.

My happiness had been relied solely on one person, and I invested my entire future on them, and because of that, when the bond was broken, the consequences were dire indeed.

My whole existence had been bound to Nuada and I didn't know what to make of life without him. I was practically a wraith, waiting on his return, which never came.

I am not afraid to admit that I wanted an escape from that grievous past and the prospect of an even bleaker future. I wanted to be somewhere, which didn't make me choke with the absence of Nuada. A life that was entirely my own and that he hadn't touched.

I wanted a life that I could build upon, without the dependency of another and I saw no other option than to take a new identity, in order to achieve that goal.

I was selfish.

But for the most part, it worked.

However, these stupid nightmares are putting everything at risk. I screamed this time, and the Gods know I tend to talk in my sleep. What if someone overhears one night and spills my secret?

Perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself and being a little over dramatic. After all, Abraham doesn't seem any the wiser and for now, that was enough.

Exercising the talent I have for avoiding the truth from those I'd regard as friends, I sighed and gave the only answer I could.

"What are nightmares but memory warped by some kind of emotion; be it sorrow, or fear, or sadness…"

What I said proved to take him aback.

"Nimue, what reason do you have to feel any of these things?"

Folding my arms and shying away from Abraham, I mumbled "None at all," but I wasn't very convincing.

Realising that I was doing nothing to ease him of the worry he had carried since my scream, I did my best to mask my face with a smile and pressed my forehead against the glass.

"There, there Abraham. Elves are known to be rather nostalgic. Best to ignore me really."

Reluctantly, he heeded my advice, "if that's what you wish."

We were silent for a while, but there wasn't a pressure to make conversation. I was enjoying it actually, the presence of a friend to rid me of loneliness, as I locked my troubles behind a door, to keep for a later date.

Eventually, Abraham must have gotten bored with sitting still and put the subject of my nightmare behind him and turned to another.

"What were you reading before you fell asleep, anything interesting?"

Sighing, I returned to the table to take a look at the title of the hardback and shook my head annoyed.

"You know Abraham, it's sad but the written word fails to have the same effect on me as it once did"

He scoffed, "that's probably because there's nothing new here. Whatever book that is, you've probably read it over and over again, without realising it."

I quirked a brow, he might have a point there.

"Well, it's a shame nevertheless. It helped pass the time since being excluded from any missions. What am I going to do now?"

Abraham waved away my concerns, most likely missing the silence now, because we have had this conversation before, in some form or another.

"Don't worry; I'm sure it won't be long now."

Clenching my fists, my tone was harsher than I intended, "My actions cost two men their lives, Abraham! That isn't something to take lightly."

Very carefully, Abraham deliberated what I had said before replying, since I was obviously distressed by the situation.

"Red also left, Nimue."

That wasn't good enough. Red always left us to do his own thing on a mission. It's just what he does and everyone knew it. That's why, back when we were hunting the Samael at the abandoned station, I had been ordered to stay and protect Abraham, while he harvested their eggs.

Him and two other agents.

I could not have killed the Samael, but I could have distracted them long enough for everyone to escape. No one need to have fallen, had I only stayed at my post and not desert them as I had. However, something happened that day.

And ever since that day, I have experienced nothing but nightmares.

It began no gentler than a pulse, subdued somewhere in the distance.

 _Thumpthump, Thumpthump, Thumpthump…_

All it took was to be noticed once, and then that gentle throb delved its hook so deep, that it refused to ever let go, until I gave it my full attention.

 _Thumpthump, Thumpthump, Thumpthump…_

A sound like it was difficult to identify the origin. I wondered if it was a trick of the mind, or was the source something else entirely.

Or rather, someone…

 _Thumpthump, Thumpthump, Thumpthump…_

That's when I realised that the sound was the calling of two mated hearts.

Mine and Nuada's.

Which meant that somewhere, my prince had to have been near.

That is why I abandoned my post. Because as our hearts were attempting to restore the bond, which had weakened due to how long we have been parted, I trusted in its urgency to put me on the right path, and to lead me towards him.

Decaying corridors and seemingly endless stairways, I searched and climbed them all, stopping to listen and to feel now and then, eager to persist with the hunt.

Except, just as I thought I was closing in on him, the link was gone. I could suddenly feel and hear nothing, as if he were never there in the first place.

Pitifully, I could have wept from the frustration, the unfairness!

Why would he want to evade our reunion, less he enjoyed my suffering.

Was he even there at all?

Was it all in my head?

…was I finally going insane?

Then I heard a voice seducing my mind, just as it used to, speaking only my name.

" _Nimue_ …"

And I knew that what happened was no cruel trick. He had and still might have been near to me, but was refusing to be discovered.

At least, not yet.

Anyway, when I returned, the scene I had left to chase after my husband was crowded with reinforced agents and paramedics and I learnt the cost of my actions.

The agency still has not forgiven me, and I have been assigned to few missions since then. Even Hellboy blamed me, as well as himself, for what happened to those men and Abraham. But these nightmares seem a fair punishment, the way they are affecting me.

Returning to the present, a tear slipped down my cheek and I didn't bother to wipe it away. Abraham had seen it.

"I know you don't wish to share it, but whatever the reason, I'm sure it was a valid one to leave as you did."

I didn't need the use of my gift to find out whether or not Abraham truly believed that. He was a kind creature and I was undeserving of it.

"You have a lot of faith in me Abraham. Why is that, when I have proven to keep so many secrets?"

He raised a webbed hand and concentrated with all his might. I didn't know that another creature, besides the elves, could possess the gift, but Abraham did, which came at quite the surprise upon our first meeting. Luckily, I have had a lot of practice with my power, and if I so will it, I can prevent myself from being read by creating a shield to protect myself. It's because of my shield, that I am the only person immune to him and to this day he hasn't figured out why that is.

"I won't pretend that I don't find my inability to read you infuriating now and then. But it does go to show, that when you do share something, it's because you trust me, and in that case, the feeling is mutual."

I smiled, "that is very sweet Abraham, thank you."

"You miss the professor. I can tell by the way you look at…"

He need not finish the sentence; we both knew exactly where the spot was where the professor had been murdered. The horrible deed still lingered there and if I focused on it too long, the scene would play out again. He should have died warm in his bed, with his son and friends surrounding him, not alone and by the will of a vile human, who sought higher piety through evil.

At least he had the decency for the Professor's demise to be quick and painless. I would have hated for him to have suffered.

I snorted at the idea. Here I was an elf, grieving for a human when I made no disguise of the fact that I didn't like them much. Even with Professor Broom, it took a decade before our relationship developed into friendship, since I was so very stubborn, and the professor in return, cautious, after my reason for tracking him and the child, Hellboy, to the compound. However, once we got over those obstacles, we did care for one another as friends should.

"A human that wanted nothing more, than to be on our side. To give us a voice when need be. You can't say that for all of them and without him, I worry."

"How do you mean?" Abraham asked, cocking his head to the side.

I cleared my throat, "well to start with, there hasn't been anyone to reign in-"

"Hellboy?" he cut in.

I shook my head, "No, no" I heaved a heavy sigh as his aura started to putrefy my senses, "someone much worse than that."

As he picked up on him too, I watched Abraham's mood turn sour to match mine, just as the golden doors swung open.

"Fish Stick, Galadriel! We have to talk."

In unison, Abraham and I both greeted with distaste, " _Manning_."

...

P **lease, if you have a moment I would love to hear some feedback.**


	4. Chapter 4

While waiting for Abe to join us, the aging mortal was shifting his weight from his heels to his toes continuously, giving me the odd look and I cocked my head to side. I didn't need to raise my hand to read him, for his thoughts were far too obnoxious to ignore.

 _'_ _What is this freak looking at!'_

I wanted to protest at his use of the word freak, since he threw it around so often around here and it bothered us a great deal. Me, Abraham, Liz and certainly Hellboy who Manning went out of his way to make feel abnormal, when all he has ever done is help him, and this agency, complete missions, which avoided the paranormal world being found out by others of his kind. Red's success made him look good, so I'm told, so you would think he would be a little more grateful, but I think this man is incapable.

Now that I knew I was making him uncomfortable, I continued glaring at him until Abraham appeared next to me.

"Ah Abraham, now you can inform us what this is all about human?" I motioned to the brown package he had been waving on his entrance and still held in his hand, with the bold writing, 'TOP SECRET' printed on the front.

He grimaced at me and tried to cover it with a smile that was somewhat reluctant, "Huh, cute. You know I ah, I have a name."

My glare narrowed and I made a point to single out and emphasize every word, "As do I."

 _'_ _Sure you do freak.'_

My anger flared at the thought and I marched forward ready to, I don't know, strike him down seemed a little much, but I would have enjoyed letting go of my rage by arguing with him. Placing a webbed hand on my shoulder and pulling me back, Abraham stopped things from going that far and I conceded to his will.

"Come you two" he scolded like a governess, with Manning and myself turning away from each other bitterly, with our arms crossed.

Musing at my expression, he tutted "Honestly Nimue, you're worse than Red."

I screwed my mouth finding the ceiling to be of great interest, if it distracted me from the matter of behaving like a stubborn child being lectured by a parent. He had a point, but I would never say that Red's feud with Manning was unjust and many a time I have stood up for him, as I hated for the demon to feel he was being victimized based on his appearance, which would result on a negative outlook on the humans, a race he had an unnerving destiny to wipe out. So in the long run if Manning continued with this attitude, it would do him no favours, other than feeling superior for a fraction of a second, and I enjoyed reminding him of that, just to see him squirm. Although, I did feel guilty after, because that destiny is something not to take lightly and I have worked with the Professor, up until his death, to make certain Hellboy had a fighting chance at changing his stars and dare I say, so far we have been successful and the demon is dear to me, and has been since he was that sweet child I watched through the window.

Where my thoughts of Hellboy were nothing but positive, his mentioning made Manning scowl.

"The very thing I came to talk about."

Again with that ignorant use of terminology, _'thing.'_

If he continued to treat us like monsters, then that was what he was going to get if he carried on. I after all, was brought up around some fierce warriors and knew a few things about fighting, so there will come a point where Manning would push me just that little bit too far and my fist would be out of my control, and I would not allow myself to stand accountable for my actions, since I have been warning people of this possible occurrence for years now and pretty much whenever he has been in my presence, fouling the air.

"Why, what has he done now?" I snarled, though I think they had mistaken my anger towards the demon and not the more appropriate human.

Licking his pudgy fingers, Manning peeled back the package and slipped out some photos handing them to Abe for inspection, who then handed them to me.

"Undercover, can't he get the meaning of the word?"

I exchanged a look with Abraham, because this has been a reoccurring problem with Hellboy and we knew he hungered to have the simplicity of freedom, that was walking down a street and such in the like and I couldn't blame him for the years he's been stored away and made a fictional character to the world. But I'm afraid he placed too much faith in the human's acceptance and a dream that was as pure as his, it was a shame for it to be dashed to pieces, as I fear would happen. My concerns for Hellboy's reveal were for his own wellbeing, but Manning cared only for what it would mean for his career.

"Look, we are still government funded - we are still a secret although a dirty secret, if you ask me -Officially we do not exist. You see, so that's the problem, when we get these."

Abraham sorted through the pictures and Manning stopped to stand beside me, smacking his finger down on the image each time it was passed over.

"Subway, Highway, The park!"

Sure enough the blur of red was unmistakably Hellboy, and I was about to comment that at least we could count on their poor quality, when the next was set down in front of me.

"Ah! and he posed for this one, and gave an autograph."

It was hard to stifle my laugh, so I pressed my lips tightly together as Manning carried on with his rant.

"I supress each photo, cell phone videos, they cost me a fortune, and they show up on You Tube.  
God, I hate You Tube."

That I can agree with him. The advancement in technology has not worked in our favour and these videos Manning mentioned, Red has shown them off to me with pride and all they do is make me squirm.

I would hate for someone to video me, as if my life was something to document and prove to the world, that I was real. To me he was being made a spectacle. Even now in these photos, all people wanted was to exploit him as being a rumour proven. No one would stop to think of his emotions, no one would stop to get to know him. They would see only what they wanted. And that was a Demon, providing little opportunity for him to prove to be anything else. I wish he would realise that sooner, rather than later.

"He just wants the world outside to know what we do. What he does." Abraham explained.

Risking your life on numerous occasions, losing your father and the girl you love, having to resurrect the latter…

I can't blame him for wanting some acknowledgment.

"He loathes me."

I raised my eyebrows, passing the photographs back to Abraham, to handle with more precision than I cared to when slotting them into the envelope, wondering how Manning could feel affronted by the prospect, as he removed another piece of paper from his pocket and began to unfold it.

Taking a handful of hair, I swung it around my body and began to weave it into a braid. Its length has not changed any, although the same cannot be said for my wardrobe under Liz's insistence. Gone were the dresses I stitched and strung together by hand, and instead I had adapted to the more comfortable wear of boots, jeans and a t-shirt. This way, I looked more like the 'bad-ass' I was, rather than a pampered princess. I swear with those being Liz's exact words, I nearly stopped breathing all together at the mention of princess. Thankfully she was just joking.

Distracted, I spoke around the hair tie I had clenched between my lips, "poor human, my heart practically bleeds for you."

Abraham nudged my arm, "come, I don't think that's true Nimue."

I was going to question him on it outwardly, when I knew already that wasn't entirely an honest opinion. Manning, having finished his fussing with the large paper, however, beat me to it.

"No?" the large sheet was obviously taken from the gun range and on it, where usually there would be a solid figure printed, was his face, a snapshot of his B.P.R.D identification photo.

"Target practice" he declared, his face brooding.

The holes where the bullets had pierce and left gunpowder in their wake, were unmistakable, "And then he posts them around."

I released my hold of my hair and let it fall back over my shoulder, suppressing my laugh to more of a tittering sound. Manning glared scrunching the paper into a ball and casting it from his person.

"Do you know how that makes me feel?"

I rolled my eyes, preferring to further torment him, rather than give in to the pity me attitude the human was channelling, "well on a positive note, his aim has never been better," and relished at Manning grinding his teeth.

Abraham, trying to diffuse the atmosphere, scuttled forwards raising the envelope and pushing gently at the library doors, "you know what, maybe we should go speak with Red about this. Nimue, Manning?"

Again the two of us were glaring the other down and reluctant to admit, though I read him, he knew I was just as prepared to play this out until submission, as he was, so he sneered and followed Abrahams example, with myself following after, lingering some to part with the professor aware that his presence still clung to the room. It was perhaps silly of me, but it was comforting nonetheless, to think he was still here with us.

"Pray I do nothing I might regret professor," then I closed the door and was out in the corridor, where much commotion was happening.

"What's going on?"

Magical creatures, children of the Fae, at some point during the week, the agency takes the liberty of tagging them with tracking devices, so if need should arise to find them again after their release, it would be a simple thing to do. That meant moving them from their cells to the laboratories and they were hardly what I would call cooperative.

Currently, some agents were battling with a mature Howler, roaring in protest and standing a great deal taller than them. Its body was a solid shell surrounding thick muscle. He was far too powerful, making it a struggle to relocate the poor thing.

"Oh it's Friday," Abe replied to Manning, aware of the situation as I was myself and because of that we regarded the odd scream and persistent roaring normal when it happened, so we weren't that concerned. We just carried on walking up a hallway, we at a casual pace, while everyone else was charging and running past to get to one place or another, their communicators buzzing with voices.

Just then a new addition to the agency, Ross, was wrestling with a troll and struggling to control it. The thing about trolls is that they come in all shapes and sizes, but were forever strong. He struck the young agent once, with enough force for him to lose his hold, and when he fell to the ground, he did so with glee, supporting his weight with his arms and manoeuvring away.

"Watch out people!" Ross warned, holding tight to his nose that was gushing blood.

The troll needn't have pushed past us. I stepped aside with Abraham, while Manning dashed to press himself against the wall, his hands held up to avoid contact and wearing a look of revulsion before the troll disappeared around the bend.

"God, those things creep me out!" he snarled, his lip curled.

Coming to Ross's aid, more agents ran past, "I'm sure his opinion is much the same regarding you, human," I said watching after them.

"Listen here-"he began, but Abe cut him off.

"They shouldn't chase it like that."

That was true. Everything was a game to trolls, if you run, they'll run further and faster, not wanting to get caught in the chase, and they were notorious for finding secret tunnels, hidden to the human eye, but available to all magical creatures. If he got bored or felt like he had won, he would step inside and be lost to us and I'm sure there's a reason for him being here, and without a tag, nothing will stop the troll from repeating it.

I nodded, "Agreed. Abraham you go on ahead, I'll help out here."

It wasn't an option. I wandered off and left him to deal with Manning while I trailed after the agents casually. They weren't far, I just listened out for them yelling at one another, and low and behold four or five stood bewildered, with their suits showing spots of perspiration, as they panted.

"We're gonna need a stun gun and a cage if we want to catch that thing!" Ross commented with vengeance. I cleared my throat, making him and his accomplices spin around to see me standing there behind them, observing.

The blood had stopped flowing and was crusty on his peachy skin, with evidence of swelling and want of bruises. I still didn't think it a valid excuse to treat the troll the way the agent wanted, so I decided to take matters into my own hands.

"That won't be necessary Agent Ross; if you leave it to me, I will recover the troll."

"With all due respect Nimue, this has nothing to do with you."

My fingers twitched catching some fleeting thoughts. The young agent was none too accepting of those like me, he valued beauty and I did not fit in with his ideals of what that meant. His whole adolescence was polluted by arrogance and need to make others feel beneath him. Fortunately, I have been raised in elven courts where nobles and many aristocrats thrived, with ambition as their armour, not caring who they might knock down in order to rise. As a royal, I had to avoid such manipulation and remain ever the one in control. Agent Ross was nothing but a whimpering pup, compared to the likes I have bested.

Putting as much authority into my voice as I could conjure, a narrowed my gaze and held my head up high, "your capability at handling the troll is evident by your wound. Perhaps starting you off with a fairy or pixie might have been better. I'm sure we'll keep that in mind. Now agent, you may go and see to other duties, and please try to manage them with a little more care."

The look on his face proved he was not used to someone talking back at him, and I grinned with satisfaction. What were his parents thinking, allowing him to get away with such poor behaviour? I remained with my arms crossed, staring at him critically before he shied away with the rest of them and I continued to stay that way, until they were all gone.

Alone, I cautiously I lifted my hand to sense the runaway troll, taking seconds to eliminate others and target him.

It wasn't difficult.

He was singing.

Loudly.

There was nothing worse than a singing troll. Their songs were filled with obscenity, more than enough to make you cringe. His tune led me here and there, and then I came to a corridor where someone had left a trolley of files unattended, and I caught the green scaly creature ripping them apart and tossing the shreds up in the air. He was laughing manically, banging his arms on the floor at taking great leaps, as his handiwork rained down on him.

"Are you quite finished?" I scolded, causing him to freeze instantaneously.

The corridor we stood in reached a dead end behind him, and on noticing my presence he skidded back on clumsy feet and pressed his back against the wall, hissing to warn me off. For such a little fellow, he was putting on a good show of being mercilessly feral.

I approached him confidently, without wavering, speaking in the elvish tongue since all mystical beings knew the superior language.

" _You're honestly baring those fangs at me? Act the mindless monster for the others, but I require better behaviour than this, so if you would cooperate, please_."

His bulging eyes looked up at me as he crept near, bracing his heavy weight on his arms. He sniffed the air with sharp intakes, getting a taste for my scent and when he did, his features relaxed some in wonder.

"Now that is much better."

I knelt down to be at his level, giving him a smile of encouragement and offering him my hand expecting he would accept it and hang from my neck as I walked him back to the laboratories. Only he had other plans.

He moved so quick, grabbing my arm and pulling me forwards, his claws piercing my skin. I gasped at the shock.

"How dare -"

"It is finally happening, the day we have all been waiting for" he croaked gripping me tighter.

Swallowing past the tightness of my throat, I tried to maintain authority, "what are talking about!"

My demand didn't do much, he carried on as if I hadn't spoken and he was reciting an omen, "screams, so many screams, and Blood. Human blood has been spilt…"

Leaning inwards, his foul breath wheezed out and hit my face, "he is coming…"

"Who?" I stuttered more terrified now, than I have ever been in my whole life, "WHO!"

He smiled a cynical smile, showing off his rotting fangs. He knew that my asking was just a frantic hope he might say otherwise to who I thought and knew it to be that he was referring to. And he was enjoying prolonging the tension.

"… _Nuada_."

As soon as the name left his lips, the emergency alarm started blaring, flashing its bright red light and while distracted by the sudden fright it gave me, the troll ripped his hand away and made for a secret tunnel, proud with his work of leaving me conflicted with confusion, and torment.

"He is coming," I repeated, my nightmare playing out before me once more, so that I might see my husband's face again.

"Nuada, what have you done…"


	5. Chapter 5

The alarm was heard all around, springing men into action, but still I remained crouched down on the floor, trying to take control of my emotions and restrain myself from diving in after the troll and interrogate him within an inch of his life, and I mean that quite literally.

Had I placed my hands on his head, my ability would have relished at consuming his every thought since birth. Leaving no stone unturned, the magnitude of my power would have reduced his brain to pulp and he would not have been alive to speak of the torture of a mind invaded. It was an aspect of the gift I have always feared, to inflict such pain. But right now, I was not in a good state of mind myself.

A thousand years, with promise to return when his people needed him most. Somehow it had lost its potency, but now the might in those words, have struck terror in the heart of me… terror, and urgency.

 _I ran_.

I ran until I was in the thick of the preparation going on before leaving towards the destination the emergency was taking place. Already the Rubbish truck was reversing into the loading dock, with much equipment being loaded in. I tilted up to my toes and scanned the area, finding a shiny, bald head buried in a file and I made my way towards it.

Regaining my composure, I adapted to trying my best at being somewhat civil with the human, hoping that the smile on my face looked genuine, when inside I was screaming with having to act the pleasantries. By the time I reached him, my cheeks were stinging from being forced upwards.

"Manning," I greeted.

I had perched my hands at the small of my back, a precaution from whipping the file out of his, so that he would pay me some attention, since all I wanted to do was grab him by the shoulders and demand that he listens to me.

His aging skin made his face droop down, as he read and signed the odd paper. Manning grunted, but he paid me no heed beside that irritable sound.

My nostrils flared as I breathed in sharply and exhaled my frustration before it got the better of me, and by the end remarked, "I take it there is an emergency."

His mouth twitched queerly, and he removed his glasses to fold the legs in and slip them back into his pocket, "What gave it away?"

My hands clenched.

He tried my patience, which made me aware that the human knew exactly why I was here, and just wanted to lead me in a merry dance for his own amusement. Manning, wanted me to grovel. It would be all his birthdays and Christmases' rolled into one, to see me stoop so low and luckily for him, this small sacrifice in pride, was nothing compared with what the future may have in store, if I were to take the Trolls word as truth.

Staring at the ground, to make the humiliation bearable, I gave in, with want to return the favour one day, to wipe that smirk off the humans smug wrinkled face.

"I know I have been excused from many missions…but I am ready to re-join the team."

He raised his grey brows, "Is that so?"

When the agents had fallen victim to the Samael, it was Manning who called for Washington to discipline me with a reprieve. Not even the professor could protest on my behalf.

Joining the BPRD, they had accepted me with open arms because of my active background in the paranormal world as a 'rogue elf', in hopes that I would divulge all its secrets.

However, I have and still remain to disappoint them in that regard and they have never trusted me, thinking I am a spy. But I would never betray my people while they live peacefully and free.

The BPRD, I joined with the understanding that I will never harm one of my own kind, unless in dire circumstances where they are a common foe, or pose a risk at exposing the paranormal world to mankind. In missions up until now, I have always been an overseer of things, offering knowledge of whatever creature the agency would be dealing with, so that they knew how to handle it. Of course, this was not enough.

"All I'm asking is to prove myself again. I want to help."

He stared at me intently, and curiosity had me focus in and what I saw was a conversation with Hellboy, and the human's desperation to get him to behave with all sorts of bargaining, cigars being the main incentive. However, Red has always been unpredictable and if I were offering my help, Manning needed it.

Pointing a podgy finger at Hellboy, he said "Okay, I'll give you another chance. But in return you must keep an eye out for him."

A sense of relief washed over me, since I didn't honestly think Manning would give in so easily and I relaxed a little, with a victorious smirk.

Now that I had won what I had wanted off him, I immediately stepped back from his repulsive aura, throwing over my shoulder the last of my kindness I was ever to give to him.

"Anything you ask Manning; I am much obliged!"

I could see that Liz had joined Red in evaluating the agency's choice of weaponry, taking two guns and shoving them into her holster somewhat abruptly, while she hissed something under her breath. She and Hellboy were arguing again, and I rolled my eyes. Both were as stubborn as the other and would never back down from a fight, so nothing ever got resolved between them, and it all built up until the next time someone did something the other found annoying, and of course in Liz's condition, her short fuse became almost non-existent.

I'm surprised she hasn't suspected her current condition yet, and I haven't said anything to even hint at it. I know what she's like. Poor girl, she hasn't had much control over her life, so when things start to feel like they are falling apart, she tries to ignore or even run from it, hoping it don't catch up.

If I did say anything about the babes, I fear for what that might mean for her and Hellboy, since he has fought for her since the day they met, with myself being the shoulder he would cry on. Not that he would admit to that.

As the argument got heated, I thought to diffuse the tension, noting the military jacket Liz had in her hand. Sneaking up behind her, I whipped it from her grasp and shoved my hands through the holes.

"Hey!"

The abuse that was hanging on the tip of her tongue didn't make it pass her lips, she was too shocked to see me standing there zipping up the jacket I had stolen.

Hellboy had turned around to see what all the fuss was about and beamed that bright smile of his, "Nim!"

I cringed at the shortening of my name and have tried to correct him on numerous occasions to no prevail, so I just went along with it now.

"back on the team huh?" he flipped his trench coat off to the side and placed a hand on his hip, nodding in approval.

"so it would seem," I answered and had to quickly react to Liz falling into my arms.

"Oh thank God, you won't believe how close I am to killing him."

I laughed trying to maintain my balance, "I could take a guess."

The hulking figure snorted, sending the word traitor my way and I stuck my tongue out, "we women have to stay together."

Tucking her recently cut hair behind her ear, Liz released me from her grasp and crossed her arms, "Amen sister. It will be nice to have someone with sense on the team again."

That ruffled Red's feather's, "what's that supposed to mean?"

Both myself and Liz chose to ignore him, and I thought to test the waters, "so, what's all this about, has any information come in yet?"

Swatting Hellboy away, Liz and I wandered to the waiting cars next to the rubbish truck, with Red trailing behind, "Nope, but we'll learn more as we get closer."

I hated the mystery. It did nothing to ease me any.

If Nuada has had a hand in this, I can count on it being bad. His tactics regarding the humans, have never been merciful. Even my brother was shocked at the lengths of brutality the young prince would go to and would at times try and reign him in, viewing it unnecessary if less violence achieved the same goal of pushing back forces or taking back land lost. Nuada was never too pleased, but consented because of his respect for Corvin. Now however, there was no one to tell him when he was taking things too far.

A large hand perched on my shoulder, as Red leaned forward, "Yep, so let's not keep whatever monster we're dealing with waiting. People, our carriage awaits!"

As Liz climbed into a car, me and Hellboy walked up the platform to the inside of the truck where Abe was already seated, fiddling with his breathing apparatus.

"Nimue?"

I smiled and took a seat, as Hellboy banged the screen where behind sat our drivers, to let them know we were loaded in and the platform raised to seal shut with the engine coming to a roar.

"Down town here we come," Hellboy rasped, lighting a cigar and taking a few puffs.

All we could do is wait now, and the feeling inside of me was something of awareness, that things were about to make a drastic change.

...

 **Please, if you have a moment I would love to get some feedback**


	6. Chapter 6

The drive took longer than usual. From what we could tell the roads were closed off by police, keeping the humans at bay on the pavement, who were curious things, and standing mere inches away from us on the pavement. They weren't of any interest to Abraham and I, but Hellboy would always stand and look at them, since his only way to be among the mortals was if they couldn't see him and he yearned for it not to be so.

"I see the media is here" he noted, taking into account the large mechanical objects perched on the odd shoulder and in the hands of others. Cameras and microphones I think Abraham called them, the humans source of receiving news on that damn contraception Hellboy has in his chambers, with the moving pictures on it.

I knew they couldn't see me, but I bustled uncomfortably in my seat, happy when we spun into the alleyway.

We three stood in line, ready to exit and when the door opened everyone assigned to assist in this mission was inside the building to greet us, with Liz at the forefront.

"Never fear, the Calvary has arrived," Red announced elevating his arms.

Liz wasn't amused in the slightest, "come on, we'll have to take the stairs. the powers out. Top floor."

She chucked a bag for him to catch and not wanting to seem bothered, he hoisted another metal trunk onto his back, while the rest of them struggled, having to pair off to carry the equipment which was far heavier. I waited until such agents were two floors ahead, so I wouldn't be stuck behind them and picked up a rucksack. I didn't know what was in it, or even if it was needed, but I didn't want to be seen not helping.

Satisfied I was playing the good team member, I walked across to the staircase, hearing my footsteps scrape along the cement and when I reached the first step, my hand hovering above the bannister, I was almost struck back by the piercing screams that came through to me. They were distant at first, but grew louder and louder, overlapping to the point where I could not tell between which screams belonged to the men and which belonged to the women.

Their terror was equally matched and so was their suffering…

Whatever had happened here, it had left a great scar on this building, a scar which had no chance at healing, and forever would it be haunted by what Nuada might have done, and so strong was it, that I did not need to search for any incentive to motivate my power. Small details and little hints were hunting me down, so that I could try and decipher what had happened.

Was this happening as swiftly because of my connection with Nuada?

My instincts were telling me as much, since Abraham was not that much ahead of me, and when I peeked up the stairwell, he was seemingly unaffected, even humming a melody, though he shared the same abilities as myself.

The screams were still resonating in my head, so much so that when Abraham caught me staring at him, his voiced was muffled, until my hand touched down onto the bannister, and the screams dispersed.

The pressure amounting inside my mind was immediately relieved with the contact and it had left me feeling lightheaded, so I staggered some.

"Nimue, is everything okay?"

For the second time this night Abraham had caught me in a fragile state. I wanted to tell him that no I wasn't, but what excuse could I give as to why?

I didn't want to be here all of a sudden, but I couldn't let my friends face this alone.

"It's nothing" I stepped up taking in a deep breath, and hurried up to him, "Come on, it was the top floor, correct?"

He nodded, continuing on with the climb, "Yes, I'm sensing a lot of negative energy coming from up there. Best to be cautious."

I couldn't have agreed more.

When we met with the group again, Red was picking out a couple of guns and shoving them into his holster, while I slung down my backpack, with a loud thud.

"so I take it those are the rooms we're investigating?"

I indicated to the doors, where one was sealed shut, and the other smashed open, barely hanging onto its hinges. 'Such a welcoming site' I thought.

Red nodded, "Yep. No growling, no roaring…I think it wants to play a game of hide and go seek."

He loaded his gun at that precise moment and I eyed the lethal weapon, that the average human would have had difficulty in holding, since it was an ugly bulky thing, which packed a punch like a mature ogre.

Hellboy was proud of this monstrosity and I will admit compared with most guns, it did have an unearthly resistance to almost all forms of attack, as it was forged with a combination of Irish church bells, cold iron from crucifixes, blessed silver, and other mystic metals. However, as was our argument, my favor shall forever remain with the blade.

With the sole light in the building being the moon pouring in from the windows, I could regardless see perfectly well in the dark, and knelt down where on my calf's were strapped two matching hilts and nothing more. The hilts themselves were a wondrous thing, carved out of a dark wood from a tree which has not grown even before the golden army and enlaced in intricate designs, was a rich and pure gold.

Holding the two, they did not look as fierce until I willed the blade to appear. As an extension of my body, of my arm, it took only a simple thought for them to do this, as was the same with every elven blade, and as they slide out from hiding, with that metallic hissing sound, it never failed to put a smile on my face.

They were long and thin with fine etching on the silver and sharp enough to cut through many obstacles, as if they were butter.

These swords, they had been a wedding gift to my grandmother who had married a highborn smith, and when the day came, so were they passed down to my mother, and then finally myself. However, I do believe I am the first to have put them into use, since my grandmother had lived her long life in peace, as well as my mother for a short period, until the war began with the humans, but even then she had not killed anyone. She didn't have the chance to, not when the humans had used attacking our country home as their declaration of war.

It had been my father who they had killed first, cutting him down with a single blow and having watched her mate die, my mother had saved the humans the trouble by taking her own life, while I laid sleeping in my cradle.

I don't know why, but the humans had spared me that day for my brother, who was far older, to find crying in hunger and neglect. My survival had come at quite the shock for him and it had been Corvin who had raised me since then, so now when I think back to who my parents were, it was only his face I ever saw, which explained why his loss affected me as it had done, to make me condone the creation of that accursed army.

These swords, although they were my inheritance from my mother's side of the family, it was in fact Corvin who had given them to me and trained me to fight with them. Therefore, whenever I drew them, and held their feather light weight in my hand, it was him I am reminded of, making them a precious possession of mine.

Hellboy did not appreciate the value in my swords, or that type of weapon in general. Most jaws dropped when my blades appeared from nothing, but his remained locked in a cocky grin.

"come on Nim, you're not still carrying those relics are you!"

I twirled them quickly so they rung and came an inch away from his neck. Hellboy did not even flinch and pushed the sharp edge away with his fingers and I bit back at his insult.

"your instruments do not impress me nor do the wielders of such mechanics. The gun is your master with the simple act of pulling a trigger, whereas my weapon is an art in itself, I am the one who provides power to the blade."

I had said the same thing to him when he was twelve and given his first gun. I of course had been outraged, demanding that he handle a real weapon, and for about ten years for an hour, I trained him, but he only managed to scrape the basics really, after he realized it took me all the many, many, many decades I have been alive to achieve the skill I have and even now, I am still learning. But being Hellboy, if he wasn't good at something or if it didn't come naturally to him, then to he would defend himself by regarding it as something stupid.

For once he was lost for words, and instead turned his back to look inside the rooms, hollering, "Jesus, it stinks in here! This is worse than my room."

I believed I made a small victory here, and followed after him signalling to another agent. the rest of them would search the other room.

It was as if a hurricane had struck the place. Everything was either destroyed or toppled over and I had to agree with Red regarding the smell. I took the step over the threshold and searched every corner.

I hated that I couldn't use my ability. Without knowing what I was looking for, I needed use of my hands to taste and feel the atmosphere, but I couldn't do that here with two witnesses lurking about and again, if Nuada had any part in this, he had covered his tracks very well with the lasting impressions of a shield.

He knew I would be here, but then again, why wouldn't he after that incident in the abandoned subway. I stopped for a moment wondering what he thought about me being in the BPRD. I can't imagine that he approved, but the reason why I'm here wearing their badge rather than being with our own people; I definitely knew he had no clue about that and probably saw it as another traitorous act. Despite myself, my eyes stung. I never did like the word since his exile…

 _'_ _Traitor.'_

Liz's voice came through the transmitter, "Whatever they called us for, it's over. Over 70 guests reported. We have no survivors, no bodies ..."

Seventy deaths, I cringed at the vast number. I suppose Nuada wanted it that way, to make a statement, but that was easy for him to do, but the families of these people, what explanation will they have for their loved ones no longer being here with them. The pain and suffering of death, it goes beyond those who passed, and stems out to all who knew them.

Why Nuada, why…

'Nimue have you seen this?"

This was Abraham speaking to me now.

"seen what Abraham?" I asked.

What would be different where he and Liz were compared to this room, then he told me what.

"there are two boxes in here and they bare the mark of the Bethmora clan; the royal seal. And I don't need to tell you of all people what that means."

My heart sunk at the final validation of all I have feared up until now, and in telling myself, so that I didn't fight what was reality, I also answered Abraham.

"War."

The word lacked emotion. It was barely above a whisper. For all these years, I have felt as if I have been running, while I am still chained to my problems which remained behind me.

Sooner or later, I knew that there would come a point where I could not run anymore. That the chain would fall short, and I would either be stuck at a distance to dwell on my problems, or as I should have done in the first place, choose to take it all in my stride, so that I may become strong, and so that I might fight when I needed to.

It is not too late I realized and I could tell that something shifted in me. A change in demeanour and attitude and dare I say, it was much like feeling a burst of relief, although my past had now rushed to catch up with me. I would be a fool to say that I wasn't afraid, because I was. It was just that now, I was ready to confront it all and do what I had to. I wasn't the same elf as I used to be, and I wanted to see what this version of myself was capable of.

Nuada had not raged a war against the humans, because in order to do that, he had to get through me first. Thus, this was only a battle, and it had to be won in my favour, less it be the first of many more to come and there wouldn't be anything left to defend anymore.

Though they didn't know it, I was the sole hope of a race I didn't even like.

How's that for a story.

Suddenly I began hearing something high pitched, like chittering, but when I looked around I was met with nothing, until I heard it again from another location and then a flurry of…wings?

"Hellboy, I don't know if this will really comfort me in any way, but you hear that too right?"

When I saw him snapping about from left to right like I was, I knew that he did. Taking advantage of him being distracted, along with Agent Marble, I fanned out my fingers and dug about, hearing in my head another ripple of chittering and I stiffened.

We were not dealing with a creature.

We were dealing with many, and this wasn't going to be pretty.

Spread around the room like this was not a good idea, so I advised that Agent Marble join me in being near to Hellboy so that we were grouped together and we each had our own section to man, rather than being alone to frantically turn in every direction.

The noise was picking up when Abraham came through to us again, "Red, we have company."

The scratching and whip of movement was unnerving. This was a creature that enjoyed playing with its food, as if fear made us taste any different. You should note how I said food.

Calcioda Calcarea, vicious and cruel, anything living was a part of their diet, although they are better known for their name 'tooth fairies' as it is generally the teeth they go for first. Bones, skin, organs, there is never any leftovers after a meal, which is why there weren't any bodies for us to account for, and sure enough when I lifted my boots, the floor, as I hadn't noticed before, was slick and gooey from their excrement. This being done to make room for their next feeding frenzy and it did not take a genius to figure out what their next meal was going to be; or should I say 'who' their next meal was going to be.

"I think I may have found one," Agent Marble said.

The human had wandered a little further than Hellboy and I to take a closer look at what he had found, shining it with his torch. It was certainly one of them, a tiny thing just a couple of inches tall, it had pale blue skin and black almond-shaped eyes. It whimpered from the attention it was receiving and dug about looking for scraps.

"He's kind of cute."

I remained where I was, close to Hellboy as I had advised the human to be, but as I have said before, humans are a curious bunch, and that is not always a good thing.

I cautioned him, "yes well, appearances can be deceiving."

we should have left while there was just one. No need to pack anything up, just run and call for back up, while we still had our lives.

That's what we should have done, however, the moment Hellboy told the human not to approach the fairy, the thing snarled its razor sharp teeth and leapt, diving under Marble's shirt and doing what it did best. Eat and devour.

Painfully trying to trap it in place somewhere, as it came up for breath from under his flesh, Marble screamed, "It's gnawing me!"

Without thinking I quickly pricked my finger with the blade of my sword so that the creature would smell my fresh blood. Luckily it worked and as it came out to take a sniff, Hellboy snatched and squeezed the thing until it popped. However, my blood mixed with Marbles, was too much and upon the rest of them awakening, the walls started to crack with plaster spilling down, and with a sudden burst, the room was swarmed, turning one tooth fairy into hundreds.

Our attempt to save Marble had been pointless. He had been immediately torn open by more with ribs cracking and blood spurting, and as I sliced the air and took another glance, there was nothing left of the human but his skeleton, and soon enough, not even that would be what remained of him.

gunshots were fired all around and there weren't enough bullets to take down all of these beasts so I carried on slicing, severing I don't know how many in half, but they just kept on coming.

"Red, we need you in here!"

The same thing was obviously happening in the salesroom, and Hellboy groaned. He was splattering the fairies with his gun shots not bothering to aim properly, since they were everywhere and a bullet was bound to hit one. But Every loud blast was just summoning more and they swept and clung to him like a troll's tumour, reaching for his lips and ears.

That's when I noticed something odd.

Stopping myself from swinging my sword, I made no movement and gave no sign of wanting to defend myself from their bite. If they so desired, I was very much offering my body for them to enjoy and should have been ripe for the taking, except, none seemed interested in me.

The fairies, they consciously avoided making any contact with me, flying around or over my head instead, and only one took any interest in the motionless elf, flying towards me and staring intently at my face. Despite myself, I did flinch as it came near but it just hovered with its buzzing wings, cocking its head from side to side like it was trying to figure me out, and I swear I saw when it did, as its black eyes sparkled.

" _Princess_."

As it bowed slightly, the little beast made a point to smile that toothy grin at me before it flitted off to re-join the mayhem, leaving me gasping for breath as I had been holding it the entire time the fairy had scrutinised me.

The tiny devils knew who I was. it had stared heartedly enough to make certain of it, like they had been warned of my presence.

Did Nuada tell them this, so my friends would be rid of and I alone left standing after the massacre?

The mystery surrounding my husband's actions were building, but I hadn't the time to dwell on them. These fairies might not have been attacking me, but they were hurting those I cared about and because of that I pinned my back against Hellboy's so it was covered and returned to cutting through them.

"We need to get to the others!" he shouted to me.

I agreed, we stood a better chance if we were all together, "have you got any idea's!"

"one" Hellboy answered, "but it's kinda crazy."

I laughed, "when have they ever not been crazy."

He signalled to the large statue which almost touched the roof in height and was a mass of solid stone. He told me to get behind it and wait for him.

I did as he said forcing myself in the space between it and the wall. Hellboy moaned in utter disgust and annoyance, meeting me without his jacket which he must have flung.

Panting he said, "on the count of two push."

I doubted my skinny arms would be the driving force to make this statue roll, and that it would certainly be all Hellboy, however, I nodded and complied with his request, pushing with all my might when he shouted two.

As the statue rolled it flattened and shocked most of the fairies, creating our entrance by crashing through the wall that separated us from Liz and Abraham.

When we ran through the fresh hole made, Liz was already emanating her fire preparing for making an explosion.

"Nimue get up the stairs, there's a safe up there!"

Grabbing my arm, Abraham led me towards them shooting and swatting as he went. The last agent with us was reloading when the same fate that befell Marble came onto him and he was dragged down the stairs.

"Neal!"

Rapidly his screams died out and with urgency Abraham pushed me inside the huge safe and tried sealing the door, but unfortunately the fairies were trying to stop him and together we struggled to pull it shut, growing more desperate as some fairies slipped inside with us.

"come on Liz," I begged, not knowing how much more we could take.

"Fire is mine; fire is in me."

the mantra went on from downstairs and she was so close now, so close that the sentence was getting harder to finish.

 _"_ _fire is mine…"_


	7. Chapter 7

The explosion that erupted nocked myself and Abraham onto our backs, as the fire engulfed the rooms and reduced everything to ash. Nothing could have survived it and when it was over, we were met by silence besides the ringing in our ears and the impression of the fairy's wings buzzing. Few had escaped the flames, having slipped passed us while we tried to close the safe door, and I let Abraham deal with them, as I cautiously peeked out at Liz. She had gained more control over her power, but sometimes it took a moment for the pyro's possession to wane and I did not move until I was sure, since I had avoided being nibbled on, and would hate to instead be burnt to a crisp.

Knowing the fire might have weakened the structure, I tested the staircase with my weight and with just a few creaks descended quickly to catch Liz just as she swayed on her feet. These episodes took their toll on the girl, and with the pregnancy that only put her at more risk of her energy being spent.

"Liz can you hear me?"

I was aware of the headache she might have and spoke softly for it, while I encouraged her to answer me, tapping her cheeks to waken her from that haze which had clouded her vision and forced her eyelids to droop. She mumbled, and that was about the best I was going to get out of her, tempted to sit her down on the floor, but considering what it was coated with, I didn't think she would thank me for it, so I waited for people to come find us, with water I hoped to get Liz hydrated and functioning again.

I watched Abraham mirror my technique, as he walked down the stairs slowly and with care happy to reach the last step and wander to the windows.

"Nimue?" he started.

I had my arms wrapped securely around Liz to keep her up and wasn't paying him much attention and hummed my response. From the corner of my line of sight, I could see him rest his hands together and angle his head in wonder.

"where has red gone?"

The question hung between us for a moment and I whipped around to face him. Had Red been in the room then it would not have been me in the position of tending to Liz, and his complaining for what had happened would have deafened us more than the explosion had.

Hellboy was not in the building and with no other swift exit available at the time Liz took matters into her own hands, Abraham edged closer to the glassless windows and peered down below to validate what we both suspected.

Eventually he said, "well, that's that then…", raising his hand to wave at the demon who he told me was basking among a crowd and beckoning them to join him.

I snarled, "if he truly believes I am going to be made a spectacle of he can think again!"

After another twenty minutes, back up had finally arrived and gave Liz the attention she needed although she had started to perk up a little by then and was even slaughtering Hellboy for his antics after she had warned him to stay away from the window.

"that attention seeking ape. Just you wait Nimue, I'll make him pay for it!"

I did not doubt that she would and kissed the top of her raven head, as she waddled off with a blanket draped around her shoulders. Since I hadn't followed she turned back around.

"Aren't you coming?"

I didn't reply and gazed out the window where the ruckus could be heard of people shouting, along with sirens and helicopters. Liz understood that I didn't want to be a part of that and nodded, not knowing that I lingered behind for another reason also.

"see you back at headquarters," she called, and it saddened me to where I couldn't agree with her. She did not notice this and carried on leaving the damned building, having had enough of it, as much as I had most likely, but still I lingered, until I was alone and nothing remained of the BPRD. I knew why I had waited and wanted to see them for myself, these boxes that Abraham had told me about. They hadn't been difficult to find, toppled like everything else had been, they had survived the fire due to their superior craftsmanship, a steel laced with other materials the Trolls fashioned to make it far stronger than anything else. Their exterior was dusted black, but besides that they were fine little trap boxes with the engraving's along the side reading 'Let Justice Be Done'.

Such a typical thing for Nuada to have mark the boxes, and while I skimmed the room once more, I could hardly call this justice. To me it was ruthless murder which had been planned to the last detail. Nuada must have bought the tooth fairies at the market, illegally so might I add, and the boxes, again my husband liked to make a statement and adding the royal seal to the design would have caused quite the stir at court I was sure. Tracing the tree, I could not condone him stamping such a monstrous deed with an emblem that was so beautiful and that was when his next move hit me.

Nuada, after a thousand years he was going to end his exile and he could not do that without presenting himself at court first to be recognized, but now because of what he had done, he will have to answer for his breaking the truce which has been held by us, without fault. He will have to confront his father, King Balor, and all those gathered, to explain his actions and not only that, he was going to have to face me, for as it was time for him to return to his people when they needed him most, as it was mine. Only what we both thought that entailed was quite different.

Sighing, I swung out the window and camouflaged by the darkness of night, stood atop the roof appreciating the cool air. There was still chaos ensued by Hellboy, who I could pick out from his nauseating ego, and I suppose his bright red skin helped also; I smiled, and not too far there was Abraham and Liz and I wished that there might have been the chance where I could have told them goodbye. I have grown so very fond of them and because of that, there was no denying how much I would miss them, but it was for their sake too that I leave now, and I hoped that they would find it in their hearts to forgive me for disappearing as I am doing. It was just easier for us all this way.

"Take care of them for me Professor," I bade with a tear trickling passed my cheek and with that, I leapt onto another rooftop, searching for a secret tunnel that would take me where I needed to be.

…..

When travelling by tunnel, time does not exist. I could have walked for what feels like an hour to me, but in actual fact when I emerge it might only have been a couple of minutes, perhaps ten at the most, and it is the same for the majority of destinations no matter how far, so when I came to the end of my path, the night was still young. However, the site to greet me, was not what I had expected, and I had expected to see something pitiful indeed.

This building, lurking behind a mountain of waste and nettles, it terrified me to think that anything besides rodents would live within it, and regretfully it was my people who did.

The looming walls, they did not look as if they could withstand another rainfall, another strong wind; where would they go when this place crumbled to the dust; Was there anywhere else?

It is likely that the court will soon disperse, and the monarchy will mean very little to the Fae, and poor King Balor, what would happen to him when his purpose in life, to rule, was taken away from him…

I squared my shoulders, and lifted my chin, "I am Princess Nimue, daughter-in-law to the king; who is here to receive me!"

At my declaration, the iron doors screeched open to reveal the royal guard. Standing at the exact same height, they were elves if you would believe it, though their race was heavily masked by the traditional wear of bronze paint to coat their skin, and oversized helmets, which put me in mind of a raven. Lightly armored, they did however carry formidable weapons, which included a large butcher-knife ready to take down any they presumed to be a threat against the highest ranking official amongst the magical world.

Evidently, I had not been the threat they were anticipating and upon seeing me, they stood down their weapons and spun off to the side to reveal the gangly figure of the chamberlain.

"Your royal highness," he greeted, "you honor us with your return."

The chamberlain has never been someone I was particularly fond of. He was mechanic, with no words of his own other than those he must recite as if court was constantly in session, and because of that, there was constantly this conceited undertone, that made my eyes narrow into daggers.

"where is the king?" I asked.

Popping his spindly fingers, the chamberlain was hesitant to reply, "at this present time, the king has confined himself within his chambers, to reflect on the current situation at hand."

There was a pause.

"and our orders, are that he must not be disturbed."

I raised my eyebrow. The night had barely scraped 12:00 pm, and already I had encountered more than my fair share of turmoil. The chamberlain did not want to push me past my breaking point. I was barely hanging on to the edge as it was, trying to keep my wits about me.

"then I will be sure to tell his grace you warned me thus; but I am afraid my need to see him is quite urgent. So please, might you be my escort?"

"your highness-" he started, but I did not allow him to make it very far.

All at once, I was tasting more rage than perhaps was necessary, while growing into the crown I have always been conscious remained above my head, when I was without the literal object, exhuming the authority it granted.

I stepped forward, and the coward stepped back.

"how can it be that in sixty years you have forgotten how to treat your betters. I am a royal, and you, chamberlain, have no right to instruct me on what I can and cannot do! Now, lead on."

Lacking in any expression to betray his emotions, the chamberlain bowed to my will; in that he had no choice, for my command was absolute, "of course."

As we stepped into the building, two of the four guards remained manning the door, as the chamberlain led me through the rusty labyrinth. There were some iron stairs that spiralled above to the different floors of the building. curious, I stopped and gazed upwards, debunking the rich glow by seeing that the fire flies had followed the elves here and smiled since they reminded me of Bethmora. No candle light would you have found there. What light there was, emanated from the Fae and creatures like these; a natural and pure light, I have sorely missed.

Distracted, the chamberlain called, signalling to what lay around the corner, "highness."

I bit my lip and followed, the rubble having crunched beneath my feet up until that point disappearing, by it being swept off to the side of the corridor, where there were no rooms except one at the far end.

We closed in on the entryway, and I fell short of movement, unable to breathe almost.

"you may go now."

Again, he irritatingly popped his fingers, as if daring to defy me and thought better about it, awkwardly slinking off to leave me standing alone.

My hands trembled when I thought my heart would suddenly fail in courage. I had made it this far, but to think my king was behind these doors after I had left him to wallow in grief, the same as my own, without comfort in his last family member. It riddled me with well-deserved guilt.

It was my choice to leave, and as I stood a coward to enter, I took heed in the fact that it had also been my choice to return, and that I could not turn back now. Not when I was so close. I just didn't suspect to be so filled with fear. After all, I had spent so long burying my past with lies, and now behind this door was the first flood I would have to face in being who it was I really am. Sooner or later, I knew I could not hide from it much longer.

One step further, I lay a hand on the iron door and sucking in a breath, I pushed, making the material screech across the floor to announce my arrival, and just by looking in, I suddenly travelled into the past, and picked up right where I had left off in regards to my title as princess, and King Balor's daughter-in-law, for my face beamed, despite the tears glittering in my eyes, to see him once again.

In being a part of his family, I had come home at last.

" _I thought I told you I would not be disturbed chamberlain_ ," the old king rasped, not knowing any other language than our own.

He was not looking at me, his gaze was fixed somewhere distant, his mind preoccupied, and I imagined he wished for the surroundings to be a bit pleasanter, rather than the maddening mechanics the humans had left to rot. I recall he had enjoyed the view of the fields where the unicorns had roamed in these particular instances, where he had a troubling mind indeed. But I doubted even if it were possible to gaze at such gentle beasts again, that it would ease him any.

Pain like this, it needed to be felt and dealt with, not masked by sweeter sights, to remind us there is beauty still at least.

However, I was here now, and we could share the load.

The door closed behind me and I was exposed like a child wary of a disappointed expression, so nervously, my voice meek, I said, "Do not blame him for the disruption," and by the end I was cracking, finding it hard to finish my sentence without great effort, "but I did so want to see you my king."

Sat crouched in on himself, his figure swallowed by a heavy cloak, he moved around to see me, and from his grunting I could tell his old bones were fiercely protesting.

"Nimue," His eyes widened, trying to take me for living flesh, "Nimue, can it be?"

I nodded, keeping my distance, "In one sense, but I think you will find me very much changed."

Noticing my apprehension, he exerted that parental warmth of comfort to make the child in me feel safe and assured that there wasn't any anger in him, only gladness, "It is a blessing just to see you again; oh Nimue, my dear child, it has been far too long."

At that, I rushed towards Balor and buried my face into his cloak, his one arm making up for the absence of the other as it squeezed me closer, and together we wept tears that were a mix of both that gladness and current cause for woe. But first I needed to explain myself to him, as I owed Balor that much.

"I am so sorry, my king. There isn't an excuse other than pure selfishness. I was offered a chance to escape the sorrow, and I couldn't refuse; I just wanted to be able to breathe again, and I couldn't do that when I was reminded of him every minute of every day. I stayed away to heal, but then sure enough, it was also because I was guilty for leaving you alone. I hope you can forgive me…"

Taking my face into the palm of his hand, Balor brushed his thumb along my cheek, wiping away the tears, "There is nothing to forgive my dear child; you are loved by myself and all; nothing could ever change that."

"Here," he spoke, taking from his pocket a bracelet engraved with the royal seal, worn only by the royal family, "at last I can return this to you."

It had been given to me at the same time as when I received my title princess, and this precious heirloom was to be worn constantly. Less ostentatious than a crown, but it made the same impact in exhuming authority and encrusted on the branches of the father tree engraved, there were diamonds, each to represent each member of the royal family, and those to still shine, represented those that still lived.

There was Balor, there was me, and there was Nuada. The three of us sparkling while the other precious rocks were dull and did not share the same sparkle.

Years ago on the eve of my leaving, I had left this bracelet where I knew Balor would find it, and now he was slipping it back where it belonged, adorning my wrist perfectly.

"Strange, after all these years I could not get used to its absence."

It was cold against my skin, and the slight weight was welcomed, because as I said, I had missed it and I just stared at it in wonder, stroking the smooth surface.

"Why did you leave it behind?" Balor asked, since I was obviously so pleased to have it back.

I thought a moment and answered honestly, "It felt wrong somehow, when my connection with the royal family was gone. I knew I was not fulfilling my duties as I should have been, so I thought it best to leave everything behind, including this, and discover myself again if I was to ever have any hope at healing."

"And did that work?"

I thought back on all the many, many secrets I had to keep in the BPRD, and though I cared for Abraham, Liz and Hellboy, there was such a thick wall of lies between me and them, and I was so tired from using all my energy to keep intact my shield, which I realised I was still withholding and immediately relaxed, and suddenly I wasn't so tired as I always am, and it must have showed, because Balor smiled as my features calmed.

"to some extent, I think. But I do feel better now, than I have done in a very long time. I only wish that our reunion came with gladder tidings."

Balor's murky eyes swam with the turmoil I had interrupted on my arrival, "You have heard then."

"Not only that, I have seen his work," And I told him about the massacre Nuada had unleashed downtown, with the tooth fairies, as a witness to its aftermath. Some information must have been withheld and I practically growled with the darkening look on Balor's face the more I spoke, tasting a venomous rant on my tongue which wanted to be spat at the chamberlain, for I knew that it was his doing that the king did not know the extent of his own son's crime. That vile creature must have thrived while I was away and the king fading, and I wondered if the chamberlain actually wanted the king's involvement on the Prince's return.

After a moment of silence, Balor hoisted himself up from his chair waving away my help, "Humans slaughtered by one of our own, the truce is surely broken now."

The truce…

"Does it still stand when we are the only ones who remember?"

There was passion when he said, "Of course it does, now more than ever for that very same reason," proving an element of the king I had known was still there, and I was awfully proud that no one had taken that from Balor, his firm faith for all he believed in.

I inclined my head, "Then we share that same belief."

Which was true. Our people might not have much, but we still had our honour, and that was enough for me, and enough for Balor. Except, it wasn't an idea that was popular among others, even less so now I was sure.

"Nuada is returning tonight." Balor stated and not asked.

"…That much is clear, my king."

Having stayed knelt down this entire time, the strength in my legs waned, and I did not rise to stand beside Balor, but fell to sit down on the floor, taking my legs and resting my chin atop them.

Together we were thinking of the prince, each our own memories of him, and I started to shake looking at the diamond on my bracelet as if it were him, as I had nothing else.

"We still love him, don't we?" he paused, and I didn't know if he wanted me to reply, but as my lips parted, it was just his rambling over what he was feeling, "A father's love for his son, a wife for her husband. They are powerful in their own right."

It did take a strong love like ours to be as affected as we were by Nuada's actions. With all the wrong he might think we have committed against him, even at our lowest point, our most deeply wounded, that love Balor spoke of, it never wavered; not for an instant.

"Why did he do this, Nimue?"

Instinctively I flexed my hand, the source that let me wield my gift, "I can't read him; I haven't been able to since we still resided in Bethmora. The distance, it has made our bond so weak. If that weren't the case, I would have tried to stop him my king."

He extended his own hand for me to take, and with effort I accepted stunned at the cold, but none so more than the sickness I caught on to, within the king. He did not let go of me as I delved deeper into how much Balor was ailing. We elves never encountered disease, or illness, we were protected from such things, but here the king's defences were crumbling and I was hit with a sense of déjà vu, when I had once sensed Professor Broom's demise. He too wore the same sympathetic look, that was not for himself, but for me, who was in denial in what this meant, though more than others could, I understood perfectly well, what was happening.

"one thing is clear to me Nimue. The angel of death is above us waiting, and it shall be me he takes."

"Balor," I choked, snapping back my hand so I saw no more, and I was feeling betrayed that after being reunited, he would threaten me with leaving, making me question the point of this, the point of my returning.

Balor slunk back to his chair, and threw himself down with the weight of his cloak, and it made him breathless, that simple movement.

"I'm tired Nimue. In another time, immortality would have been a gift, but now I see it as only a curse and for as long as you think you have lived, I have lived far longer. I am weak, not the king I used to be; a walking corpse. I am sick, and Nature is slow in granting me its mercy, but Nuada, I know he will do the deed and as strange as it sounds, I would die no other way but by his hand. let him release my soul to the other world."

"You don't mean this…", even though I knew he did.

"Nuada is blind to reason and he is determined to accomplish his goal. You said that you would stop at nothing to prevent Nuada from walking down a dark path then prove it, because I know why he killed those humans; I know what he has in store."

I gripped one of the many pipes above us, as others hissed in the background, "what?"

If Balor had figured it out then I wanted to know, because I had run it over and over in my head since leaving the building Liz had scorched, and could not come up with anything. His leaving the royal seal of our clan was a declaration of war, that was apparent even before this all started, because it was all Nuada has wanted. But my sense was telling me there was something more. There had to be…

"The Golden army."

…Anything but that.

It was a good thing I was holding onto the pipe or I would have collapsed with those accursed words.

"The humans had a share of the crown, what else would he want from them."

I didn't say anything, except my grip became deadly on the pipe with the bones feeling as if they would burst from under my skin and my stomach, that too churned so that I doubled over slightly until it passed.

The golden army, it would of course come down to that. I don't know how I didn't think of it before now, "He wants to make the crown whole again."

"Yes," Balor confirmed.

Closing my eyes, my mind was vexed with countless curses, and as my anger boiled, my veins swelled with the rush of blood and heat, making me think of things I otherwise would not have dared to. Beside myself with the rush of emotion, I slammed my hand against the pipe, once, twice, three times, and I knew I needed to stop. To try and calm down somehow.

Balor did not speak, he let me have as much time as I needed to gain back some of my control, but it was hard for me to understand how Nuada could see the golden army as a justifiable answer to securing our people with a future, after what they had done.

The Golden Army had even come between us, and it only said to me that he didn't mind as I did. That still his hatred for the humans, put me second where he was concerned.

On topic with the golden army, I asked what I never cared to before now, "Where is the final piece, Balor? You never did tell me."

Sighing, he clamped his hand down on the hefty belt he wore, "I wear one as you know, and the other would have I suppose been worn by Nuada, but he went into exile. So I have kept it hidden away. But I think at last its true protector is being realised."

"what do you mean?"

At that he waved his finger to a large chest which I walked over to and opened, inside were countless letters, and odd trinkets, which were Balor's personal keepsakes. I looked at him and smiled, going through it all.

"there should be another box buried at the bottom."

I listened to his instruction and buried my hand until I touched and got a good hold on it.

"this?" I asked, waving it slightly, though it was an awkward width and length, straining my wrists.

Balor nodded, and he ushered me to bring it to him, where I watched as he pricked his thumb to open the blood lock, which sealed it. It was an old, reliable trick and a sure way to keep what you wanted hidden, safe.

As the box clicked open, Balor spared me a glance and turned it around for me to open. I was apprehensive but obliged to his will, taking each side of the cool silver box and gently, lifted the lid.

Inside, the red velvet was vibrant, keeping bedded an ornate belt which at its core sat the third piece of the crown of Bethmora. Despite my hate, I could not deny the beauty of its craftsmanship, the way which the gold captured and reflected the light; It was hypnotic almost, that something so small, could grant such power…

But power corrupts, absolutely.

And I would not allow that to happen to the elf I remembered, who I knew was still inside of Nuada. The prince who had thrived in freedom and with peace; war had hardened him during its time true, but to be at the head of more bloodshed, there would be nothing of elven spirituality left within him, and I did not want for him to forsake that. To forsake his virtue, as that to me would be victory over the humans of our past, if he kept that element of himself intact.

"It's not too late for him Nimue. In his heart, Nuada is still honourable, and I understand his intentions to save his people, I really do. But it is too late. I just don't want him to abandon all that is good in him for a lost cause. By keeping this from his grasp, you will be preserving that part of Nuada who carries our hearts. You must promise me that you will protect this crown piece. He may gather two, but without this final piece, the crown is useless. The golden army is useless. Make sure it stays that way."

Tears clouded my vision and my lips trembled, as I made my promise to Balor, and to myself also and it was not an act of betrayal over Nuada; it was an act of pure love, and I hoped he would someday see that.

As a final note, so that I could not escape it, Balor returned to the issue we had earlier mentioned, and he gripped my hands around the box, so I would take him seriously and not think otherwise.

"And when the time comes, and he delivers the final blow, don't hold back, just run."

My heart throbbed to think that I had to lose another person in my life, who I was so dearly close to. Selfishly, I did not want to let Balor go. But I knew from my brother's death that the most painful goodbyes were those left unsaid and never explained. So this was not something to be saddened by, only to treasure, as life had granted me with the chance to say goodbye finally to someone I loved, and to gain closure from it, which is all I have ever asked for when there have been so many loose threads in my time.

Besides, I could see that Balor was ready to go and I could not ask him to stay if he didn't want to; it would be cruel.

Nevertheless, nothing stated that I could not shed my tears, so I did and Balor pulled my head forwards for him to kiss my brow, and until I was strong again, we remained that way.

Silent and my tears spent, Balor spoke, "I'm sure you will want to freshen up a bit. You go ahead. We have said all we need to each other."

I sighed and stood up on shaky legs and as I stood by the door on my exit, I bade my king farewell, and those were my last words.


	8. Chapter 8

Standing in the hallway again with the box in tow, I had my thumb pressed in between the lid, so that it could not close and looked around. I knew Balor had recommended I freshen up, but how did I do that when I had no clue where to go, since I hardly expected there were Baths here like in Bethmora, which had catered to pampering the nobles.

In my head I could hear Liz's mocking tone and chuckled my agreement at the ridiculousness of it all. But it had been another time, another age, and even the humans had mimicked us with their Roman baths, though they didn't know it, and I will admit, there was something satisfying about a Royal Hair wash, which had once made my toes practically curl.

Then a thought occurred while I was on the line of servants and how little I was allowed to do for myself, in the form of a lady's maid, or rather one in particular.

Even if the number of elves who lived in this wreck hadn't been so few, the person I was sensing would have been easy for me to pick out. Wonderfully colourful, I followed where her aura led me, which was a fair walk to the other end of the factory and nearer to the entrance than what Balor's room had been, which I was both wary and pleased with at the same time.

Juggling with the box I carried, I pushed open a door silently and was met with a perfumed and humid heat, which filled the space. To no avail, I tried waving it away and peered at the steams culprit as they poured hot water into a large wash basin, unaware that I was watching them.

Finding a place to rest the box, I sneaked over their way, careful not to make a sound that would betray my presence. Humming a song, their preoccupied mind worked to my advantage and when I was as close as I was going to get I waited for when they turned around, and when they did, I childishly took the opportunity and frightened them.

"Boo!"

Shouting aloud, the little handmaid dropped the empty pot she had been holding and squealed, gripping where her heart was hammering behind her chest and staring wildly at me like one of Hellboy's stricken cats.

For a minute I thought I might have broken her, and tapped her head repeatedly saying as much, but she shook off her panic to gain back some of her composure and stared at me earnestly, as Balor had.

"…my lady?" she questioned, as if I would disappear.

I smiled, "I am not a ghost Una, truly it is me."

Her hand cupped my shoulder, and only when she was certain that I spoke true did she pull me in with some force for a hug, which I didn't think she would release.

"oh my lady it is you!" she cried, as I accepted her embrace and wrapped my own arms tightly around her.

"who else were you expecting?" I teased.

"I don' t know exactly. I mean the Chamberlain told me it was you, but I don't trust him as far as I could throw him, so you know" she sniffed into my neck, "I wasn't sure."

"well on this occasion, he was truthful," I assured and because I didn't think she was going to let me go anytime soon, I pulled her away some and laughed at her dazed expression, stroking her cropped hair, she kept styled to her chin. But of course, that didn't last long when her gaze sharpened on my attire.

Taking a step back so she could observe the whole picture, Una's nose scrunched with distaste, "My lady, what are you wearing?"

I had forgotten how seriously my young handmaid took fashion, and how obscene I must look to her right now, when she had once kept me so impeccably dressed.

"Trousers and a vest top. The leather jacket was a loan," I admitted.

Una raised a questioning brow, "I'm not sure I approve. Is it supposed to be so, masculine?"

since this was what Liz's wardrobe mainly consisted of, and in an abundance of black, I thanked the Gods that she was not here to hear Una, because I imagined that it would have led to quite the impressive argument, when Una was the opposite to Liz, and leant more towards a need to have a variety of fabrics at her fingertips, and in every colour possible.

I had let Liz change me, as it was necessary at the time, and as I saw my reflection in the mirror Una had in the room, I could hardly recognise myself.

I had accomplished what I had sought, for so long in becoming someone different. But that person was not me, which is why the emptiness never really left. I belonged in this secret and magical world, returning for a reason and strong once more, with a part to play, as well as a duty and obligation of my own, where I could not seek solace in someone else's shadow for protection and thus, limiting my potential, as it was Nuada who I was working to defy.

There was a crown above my head, a Princess of the Fae, and it was now that I earnt the honour before the court, because it was not likely that such formal sessions shall be held again, if what Balor predicted came to pass and he did fall this night.

Turning to the handmaid I said, "Then by all means, dress me up Una."

Jumping, the handmaid clapped her hands, squealing excitedly, "I am so glad you said that," and in a blink of an eye, she had me undressed and in the bath before I knew it.

The water was a blessing, soothing my aching muscles, to the point where I was so at comfort, I might have slipped into a much needed slumber, but before I had any hope of that, Una had flung in with a splash, a wash cloth, entrusting me to scrub myself raw from the grime that coated my skin after the incident with the tooth fairies, while she started on my hair, which because of its length was a task in itself.

Once she had every strand untangled and gleaming, and my flesh smelt as fresh as the rose petals floating in the water, we turned onto the more 'important' matter, which was what exactly I was going to wear, and Una proceeded to unload every dress, in every trunk of the room.

"I can't believe you kept all of these," I said referring to the many gowns, "Didn't I say you could have them?

Examining and comparing two, Una brought the favourable one over and pressed it up against me, "I would look a little out of place, don't you think? a lady's maid without her mistress, parading down the corridors in a royal gown. Besides, I always knew you would be back and I was right."

My smile faltered, as I thought back on what Balor had said.

' _And when the time comes, and he delivers the final blow, don't hold back, just run_.'

Before Una caught on to my mood, I changed the subject quickly, "So how has court life been?

Making an ugly snort, the comic answered, "Boring and dull to say the least; I'm one of the few elves born after the desertion of Bethmora, so while I'm all outgoing, the same can't be said for the relics."

I had to agree with her difference in character. Una was rather impulsive, than she was reserved, and would act before she thought things over, which has led her in to more trouble than was good for her. Bubbly and fun-loving, I have caught her pulling faces at the finest, in the most un-lady like behaviour. But she also holds an innocence to her and is more willing to distribute her kindness than most would.

"Gee, thanks Una," I teased.

She wasn't really paying attention, being in the throes of finding another dress, "Your welcome. Oh! This is the one, here I'll help you put it on."

Holding it open for me at the feet, I first stepped into the soft, silk shift, slipping my arms and head through the holes and remarking "I'm glad you haven't changed Una."

Her eyes flickered up at me, while she retrieved the main part of the gown, a heavy material that slipped on like a long coat, and that Una tied securely in place, "I live for the present, not the past or even the future. If we have learnt nothing, then we should live in the now."

I looked at her a little wide eyed, "That is a wise statement, Una. If only it were possible…"

As my gaze grew distant, Una sat me down on the bed, since there wasn't a vanity, and made some pointless chatter, as she started styling my hair. After some bickering, we agreed on braiding the top half of my hair, so it was out of my face and let the rest fall free behind my shoulders.

Smoothing some stray hairs, Una beamed at her work, "There, a true princess," and extended her arm for me to look into the mirror.

I was hesitant, but braced the looking glass in any case and gasped. The velvet dress was a mystifying tone, where I couldn't quite decide whether it was a lilac or blue, and it fit my shape with nary a wrinkle. The long sleeves shared the same unusual shade, but were of a chiffon fabric, so compared with the heavy body, the light material picked up even the slightest breeze and moved ever so softly.

I am not ashamed to say a blushed at the image before me, making Una chuckle at my reaction, and then I noticed that something was missing.

Having left it near the door, I walked over to the box and lifted the ornate belt within, fearing I would drop it because of the weight it carried.

"Una could you help me?"

She nodded and had me stand in front of the mirror again, so I could tell her when she had it centred properly before she clasped it in place, and my back straightened.

"is that…"

Una didn't finish her sentence, and I didn't answer, not needing to. Una knew what this item was I wore decoratively; it was impossible to mistaken it for anything else, as it emanated this strange and intimidating air…

"I have to ask, if you would keep a cloak with you in the courtroom Una."

Having been entranced with the crown piece, the handmaid blinked a couple of times, not thinking she had heard me right, "A cloak what need have you-"

I didn't let her finish, "Just keep it with you and be near to me; and when I am ready, hand it over and then-"

Sadness touched the young elf's features, "And then you are leaving again…"

I could not lie to her, and I could not lie to myself neither, "For good I'm afraid."

I didn't know what I expected from Una, and I would not have blamed her for any emotion she might have felt, whether it was pain, betrayal, hate…

Whatever it was, I just let her feel it without judgement or excuse, and then when she was done, my Loyal handmaid flung herself into my arms again and I met the embrace head on, knowing I would miss her, and I counted myself lucky that I had in her such a true friend to make that true.

 _'_ _Nimue.'_

Suddenly, the breath in my lungs was instantly knocked out of me, as I doubled over. knees buckling from the force of the blow, it went limp in Una's arms briefly and her secure hold kept me from going down.

with my unexpected state, Una was just as frantic as I was, panting "What is it your grace?"

with the sound of his voice still resonating in my head, I whispered, " _He is here_."

….

 **AND IN THE NEXT CHAPTER, NIMUE SHALL FINALLY COME FACE TO FACE WITH THE EXILED PRINCE…**


	9. Chapter 9

_…_ _She used to wait for the morning._

 _Peering through the glass doors that led out onto the balcony, darkness would slowly fade away, and she would be there to witness the gradual change, while listening out for the silence to end, as the people rose to begin the new day._

 _Nuada would be awake also, but he allowed her to have this moment by lying still in the bed, peering at her naked form, when she was unaware of him doing so, and then when she was ready, she would take one of her more simpler gowns and slip it over her head._

 _Twelve steps later, and she would no longer be in the same room, and Nuada would take her place, where the view of the kingdom was lain out before him, and he watched as she made her way to the palace gates and greeted the guards as she passed, on her way to the greater part of the city._

 _It would not take long before he would miss her; and the path she left behind, Nuada would be compelled to follow it._

 _The same as she, he would blend in with the crowd._

 _His people knew who he was of course, but they were comfortable with his company to carry on as they were and he would speak to them as he would with anyone else, building a relationship to know intimately who he would be ruling over when the time comes._

 _And then he would see her; the epitome of beauty itself, as it was her soul which reflected it. A soul which knew only kindness, love and compassion. So pure and good, a lamentation in her honour would fill the air as Nuada stared at his wife go about her business, as the people paid tribute with flowers to their beloved princess, whom she would blush and thank, touching each of their cheeks, and the children; how they adored her, and she them._

 _Clutching her skirts, holding her hand, they wanted to be near her, and there was nowhere the princess could turn, that they would not follow, including Nuada himself._

 _With the youngest carried on her hip, and nestled into her side, she would tell them stories by the fountain, or sing songs of her own, and they would hang onto every word spoken through those rose, red lips, while Nuada observed from afar, mystified by the wondrous creature before him, leaning on a pillar._

 _That soul indeed, the Gods had smiled when they had dreamt up the body to harbour it, as the princess's hair it seemed, had ensnared the light of the brightest star, and was as soft as the purest silk, as her face captured a feline like quality that was both delicate and regal. However, nothing he could say could truly do her any justice; a woman like she, had to be seen in order to be believed._

 _Eventually, their bond would work its magic, and she would sense Nuada's close presence and spot him rather quickly because of it and in that instant, while in a crowded place, they would be the only two that existed._

 _And she would bring him to his knees, purely by smiling..._

 **"…** **Nimue."**

when standing no longer in Bethmora, but an accursed city constructed by the humans unyielding ambition, Prince Nuada knew that she had heard him, because of the fact that as soon as he had said the name out loud, he had meant for her to.

The rain poured down from a black sky, as the memory had come to torment him with how sweet things used to be, and lighting cracked to accompany the thunder, while a bitter taste of longing lingered on his tongue. But as he opened his eyes to his pathetic surroundings, he beheld a billboard promoting another monstrosity, awaiting the mechanics and harsh materials to be built with, which would take from his people, this refuge they have found, and that longing turned quick to anger towards those he held accountable for robbing him of his every happiness.

The troll behind him grunted, and Nuada whipped around on his heel, to look his friend in the face.

"do not let it upset you Mr Wink," the elf prince urged, "for our kind shall embrace change once more, and they will not be rotting in the shadows by the end of it… I can promise you that."

Truthfully, Nuada had expected to have been taken prisoner as soon as he set foot near where the court had so pathetically found refuge. But there were none to greet him, as they waited within, and away from the rain, and he obliged to their will by entering.

Sneering at the scene, Nuada blotted out the foul scent of decay that assaulted him with his sleeve and scrutinised the courts fall from grand palaces, to this hollow shell which was close to being run down to the ground by the human's neglect, though he over the years had experienced no less, having recently lived out his final days in exile, at an abandoned part of a railway station.

But for some reason, he had expected better of where his father would have led his people, of noble and ancient heritage.

Or had king Balor truly lost all faith in their survival?

Nuada wandered the corridors, peaking up at the fireflies whose warm light could make the place no better, when it was that they belonged to Bethmora, and already he saw that their essence flickered, like a flame caught by a stray wind, which threatened to extinguish it, and he would hate should they draw in on themselves, having lost all want to live, and fall beside the common fly, as that was a fate promised to them if they remained here.

Still gazing at the insects, Nuada spoke:

"you have a great deal of guards with you, Chamberlain. Tell me, do you truly require that many to feel safe from me?"

Turning around, an empty archway led into a room where the gangly courtier was encased by the royal blood guard, elves who swore sacred vows to protect the king, and he alone, and yet that in recent years, that seems to have extended to include snakes, like this one, thus making it clear to Nuada who has been governing over his people as of late, and his disappointment knew no bounds for his father who would allow for such insolence, and so the prince could not hold back on his slights, releasing his displeasure verbally and enjoying each one.

"when the mighty fall, vultures come to make their pickings."

The creature did not condone his insults with a reply, and instead bowed low.

"prince Nuada," he declared, with mock enthusiasm, "we are gladdened by your return!"

Nuada scoffed at the obvious lie, for both he and the chamberlain knew that since the prince was no more than a child, there has been nothing but mutual distaste between them, and the prince had found no better pass time in his youth, than to torment him, whenever he got the chance to liberate himself from training and act as foolishly as children do.

However, considering the circumstances, the prince's antics have now all amounted to this moment, and the chamberlain was spiteful for a creature with little features to express it.

"Before entering the council chamber," he started, and Nuada could have sworn that his beady eyes sparkled with glee, "you must- surrender your weapon."

As a warrior, Nuada's weapon was an extension of his arm. He could not rid himself of it, no more than he could cut off the limb which held the fine blade and on instinct, his hand embraced the hilt, turning the tables as he became its protector, rather than it over him.

"I will not."

The matter was hardly up for debate. Nuada still retained in his voice all the authority of a prince, and his word was absolute, for he would not be shaken by someone so lowly as the chamberlain.

"it is protocol sire, for prince and peasant alike."

 _'_ _But only when they are a threat…'_

There weren't any chains on his wrists, but if Nuada would to relinquish his blade, there might as well be, for the chamberlain's words were just another way for him to degrade Nuada, and call **him** the traitor, as many occasions before now he had once entered court as armed as he was now, and not have an eyelid battered his way.

However, he posed a great risk now for what he might do with the weapons in hand.

Or should Nuada say, what he was willing to do, in order to get what it was he wanted, whereby he would not let anyone stand in his way, and so he demonstrated that by showing the chamberlain that despite his guards, he could still kill him quicker than they could their prince and so they meant nothing, and the prince made that clear.

One swift movement and Nuada's weapon was ready to cut the creatures throat, with the temptation to carry out the deed raging within him, to make for his heart to pump wildly with the adrenaline.

"it would be my pleasure to kill you, chamberlain!"

He whined.

For all the worth the likes of he possesses, somehow they still hold value over their life and fear death as a result.

Nuada would think it a mercy to the world if he rid those such as the chamberlain from it.

Treacherous cowards; indeed, he was prepared to kill the chamberlain, but his hand remained still, and then he realized why.

"Nuada!" the voice echoed out, "I believe that you have been asked; to surrender your weapon."

…

When I had left my room, Una had been my support, otherwise I would not have been able to stand without her gentle hand to guide me.

Although my body felt rigid from the shock, I shook uncontrollably, like I were standing in the harshest winds of winter.

Perhaps I should have been anxious for where it was Una was leading me. Fearful even. But I wasn't. for some reason, I was completely numb. But the beat of my heart rang in my ears, as if it was working hard to keep the inevitable pain at bay, to allow me to face what waited for me around the next corner.

'the calm, before the storm' as they say.

How strange this was, and nothing like the last time I had been this close to Nuada.

Back at the train station, our bond had been so persistent to be made whole again, but now, I didn't dare allow for my side to expand pass my soul, and I kept all the energy pent up inside of me instead, preventing the link from healing.

It was an unnatural thing to do as his mate, when it was far easier to surrender myself completely to my prince, and I will not deny, that the pressure building up inside of me, made it feel as if I were an explosive, begging for release.

"are you alright my lady?"

Una's voice seemed so far away, and I turned my head in her direction, with my gold eyes betraying the turmoil within, and her innocent child like face, beamed with sympathy in a way that I could never feel patronised; only understood.

Her hand brushed my face and I caught it before it fell to hold against my cheek, and since she knew of my gift of course, her encouragement need not have been spoken aloud.

She just smiled, and her words came to me as clear as they would have, if passed through her lips.

 _'_ _you can do this, Nimue; he might have put the crown on your head, but it was you who earnt the title, princess. Trust that we all have faith in you to do what's right.'_

I had not revealed to Una the integrity of the situation at hand, but she was no fool and has probably put all the facts together, to have at least some idea of what was going on, and I suppose the legendary crown piece glittering in my belt, helped to dissolve any other mystery, and did give the game away quite a bit.

But still, I was glad that she did know for herself the change that was fast approaching, as it made her support that much more important to me as it was based more around the truth, so that I could take her words more seriously, and not shy away from the fact that she couldn't possibly understand.

She didn't know of the king's wish of course, and I was counting on his survival despite what we both knew would happen now that Nuada had returned, but by just having her faith in me in regards to confronting my prince, after what he put me through, was a great help in pushing myself onwards.

"that means so much to me Una."

The young hand maiden stroked her thumb along my cheek and with I sigh, I took control of myself, which surprisingly was not so great a feat, as I was still under this bizarre influence, where although I could scarcely feel as if I were breathing, there was still no pain with the pressure.

"shall we carry on?"

I looked ahead, and it was so short a distance where I could feel Nuada had stirred the air, and as I carried on looking, I had to decline her offer to remain at my side.

"no; I can do this."

To be sure, it wasn't clear exactly as to who it was I was addressing this claim to, and when I released the path I need walk and beheld Una again, there could be no room for doubt when I reminded her of what I had said back in the room we were just in.

"you remember what I told you," I asked, gripping the tops of her arms, probably frightening her with my severity, "Stay close when we come into the throne room; keep with you a cloak, and then, do not hesitate with any goodbyes, just hand it over and let me go."

Tears glistened in her eyes as she stared up at me and her lips trembled, for her mother and father had diminished long ago and when she had come under my services, Una had been no more than a child, so since that time, I had been all that she had known as she entered into womanhood, almost like her unofficial guardian. So, as guilt ridden as I had felt when I had abandoned her the first time, I had done so without telling Una hoping she would understand after witnessing the turmoil I had suffered through when I had lost Nuada for how many decades it had been, when she was with me.

But now for a second time, face to face, when we had only just been reunited…

Needless to say, a part of me was glad that I hadn't seen the expression she wore now the first time around, as someone as happy as she did not suite such sadness. But I was a princess, and I had to make sacrifices, including friendships such as these, in order to do my duty; for had I not already abandoned others who I cared about already?

Taking a deep breath, Una shook away the affect my leaving had on her and tried to compose herself the best she could.

"I'm going to miss you Nimue."

She had to look down at her slippers in order to be able to say this to me, and still her voice wavered, and I smiled at the poor sweet thing.

"and I you, Una."

Being that she was rather petite and more doll like than the exotic beauty most of our kind were known for, it was easy to discard the idea that she was a woman now, and where I would have wrapped her up in my arms when she was a child, I now had to give her more credit than that, knowing her true colours inside, were that of a very feisty young madam, and hardly idle as Una's appearance deceived her to be. However, seeing as we were parting ways, I thought that my leaning down to kiss the top of her head, would be an exception to what she claims to be condescending manner due to her looks, and as I did just that, her head tipped up, letting her short cropped hair fall back in place, and I hoped then and there, that although the elves were fading, that at least she might have the chance of a happy life.

With nothing else more to say, I released the elf and did not look back as I carried on down the corridor, surprised that my feet could take the necessary steps, which made me disappear around the bend.

Since Una could no longer see me, I was truly on my own, and I braced myself onto the wall on my right, dragging the side of my body along it, until I had only inches left between myself, and the empty doorway, which should I enter through, I would see Nuada.

Without being masked by my imagination, memory or dream, his voice was loud and clear, and almost foreign to me as he was in there with the Chamberlain, and I did not know if he knew how close I was, since I was still keeping my soul imprisoned by silence, to stop our bond from crying out to each other.

Truth is, now that he was something of flesh and blood and mere inches away, I didn't want to see Nuada at all.

I wanted to run, and with the crown piece in my possession, what was there to stop me from doing just that and save myself from him, since as our meeting will only give him the opportunity to hurt me again.

At the same time as I could understand this logic, there was also a part of me that couldn't.

It was that part which I think made me so numb, building within me what I expected to be a climatic suspense of not sadness or heart ache…but pure and utter rage.

I haven't run away yet, because what I wish for right now, more than I ever have to be reunited with Nuada, is to confront him.

For more than a thousand years I have blamed and riddled myself with guilt for him choosing exile and I have even dared to regret my decision to intervene, when I saw what the Golden Army had done to the humans, although morally, I was in the right to do so, and yet have been made to feel ashamed for acting on it.

My life has been a shamble.

So many years wasted on despair.

And it was all because Nuada's hatred for the humans, was more important than his love for me.

Making me realise, who it was, that should feel the greater shame.

Straightening my back, I pushed off of the wall and ran a hand down my dress, waiting for the opportune moment to reveal myself, and found it when Nuada threatened to make things worse and put an end to the Chamberlain.

"Nuada!" I commanded, letting my voice resonate throughout the room, "I believe that you have been asked; to surrender your weapon."

Keeping true to my nature, the elf has an impeccable and graceful posture not to be defeated by their emotions, and I held my head up high, determined to withhold all the grace of a princess, as I abandoned where I was hiding and appeared through the open arch, a shadow at first, until no obstacle could stop the light from illuminating my figure, and at the same time as feeling awfully exposed, I wanted the prince to see me, for all that I was worth.

For a moment; the room was silent.

The blood guard were still.

There wasn't a whimper from the chamberlain.

And the troll next me, did not groan as they usually do when their lungs worked so hard to supply their large bodies with air.

Indeed, it seemed as if the world was waiting on Nuada to make the next move.

His back turned, he was clad in black and red cloth, and all I could see was his pale hand, holding his sword in place, against the chamberlain's neck.

It was so steady.

But someone like Nuada always was.

Leaned in for the kill, he eventually retracted the sharp blade, although he did not confront me just yet, and I couldn't help wonder what was going on in his head, as my fingers itched to have a quick run through his mind, just for the smallest indication.

It was so tempting, that my hand almost rose from my side, only my suspicion won out before I could do the deed, because if I were wondering, he would more than likely be thinking the same in regards to me, realising that the only explanation he would have for not being able to do so, was because of me.

 _'_ _why was our bond not healing?'_

I did not have to read him to know he asked himself this question, followed by:

 _'_ _Why does she not want it to heal?'_

And as his must have been at the train station, my answer was simply because of me having my own reasons to do so.

A nudge on my elbow, it distracted me to look at the troll whose eyes sparkled, and I gave him as good a smile as a could conjure in that instant, to see such a dear old friend again.

This troll, my dear Mr Wink; it was he who had once fought alongside my brother and had carried his body from the battlefield to me when he had died. Wink was so devoted to those he loved, that I had not been surprised when he had joined Nuada in exile, but more so that I had heard nothing from him either. However, Wink was easy to forgive and I reached out to touch his rough, leathery skin, as he respectfully bowed his head to me, and then there was a scrape along the dirt, and when I looked again at Nuada, it was not his back that I saw, but his gold eyes, burning into me.

"Hello again, Nimue."


	10. Chapter 10

_'_ _Hello again, Nimue.'_

What kind of greeting was this, from an elf who parted without first saying goodbye?

All these years, and that was the best he could do as we finally stood without deception coming through as fantasies, dreams, memories…

Looking at him, I could feel the warmth radiating off his body due to his pulsating blood, and his scent filled the air, as my gift raged to break loose, and bring him to his knees with the sheer ferocity I knew it wished to devour his mind, to make up for what it had missed.

These things, made it clear to me, that Nuada was no illusion, as I have been so accustomed with.

That indeed he was real, and from my mouth I heard a whimper escape at the same time that my knees buckled slightly and I was fortunate to still have the support of Mr Wink, less I have fallen.

However, how I had rallied myself to make my entrance into this room beforehand, maintained its potency, and I swiftly recovered as I tightened a hand into a fist, gathering and turning my wits into iron as I did so.

My face cast in shadow, I could imagine it would have set my blazon eyes into a frightening state.

"Chamberlain," I spoke, in a tone that was almost painful to speak with, since my jaw had clenched, "if you would give us a moment in private."

Beyond any chance of recognition to how I usually speak, being that it was maliciously callous, it would have been impossible to relate back the pathetic sound I had made, to myself.

Retracting his arm, even Wink was wary of the change in character, and dared not question what I willed, only his consideration, did not match that of the chamberlains, who barely gave me any at all.

"my lady-" he began to protest, but I cut him a glare that would have frozen even the pyro Liz into silence.

"the king," I eventually assured, "will not be kept waiting; but I would speak with my husband alone."

The room waited on the chamberlains next move, and it was clear how much a fool he would have proven himself to be if he chose to do anything less than I had asked.

Displeased to have lost this battle, the creature Stepped around Nuada with hardly any inches to spare, as his robes dragged over the princes boots, scraping in the dirt a path which led to me. His gangly form lingered by my side, and he had some idea that I did this, only to share treasonous thoughts with the prince, or to beg him to leave, as soon as there were no Blood guard to stop him.

This was not my intention at all.

Nuada committed an offence that needed to be answered for.

I knew this, and so did the prince.

It was why Nuada was here to begin with.

To put into motion, what was now I believed to be fate.

And fate; was unavoidable.

Motioning his hands, the Guard sheathed their weapons, and followed the chamberlain orderly out of the room, with Wink being the last to leave.

He was hesitant to go, torn between us, out of loyalty to Nuada and concern for me, because as ferocious as he appeared, Wink carried a caring heart and I have always been a target for his affection, and I thought this must be a rare moment where the troll was tempted to side with someone other than Nuada. However, my fingers slowly fell from his arm as he retreated through the doorway and after a couple of minutes, their thoughts dulled to a quiet murmur…and all who was left, was my husband.

I had scarcely allowed my gaze to drop from his figure.

It was leaner to me, showing the results of where his training had not lacked over the centuries, but intensified. Then there was his hair, which had grown much longer to sit at his back, whereas before he would keep it relatively short, in a blunt cut only to the mid of his neck.

He looked; taller. Possibly matured more into his features.

And as I picked out these subtle differences, I without being totally aware of it, strode towards him as the numbing sensation receded, allowing for two tears to slip down my stone face.

Toe to toe; one final drop of water added to the pressure of the floodgate, and I was suddenly bombarded by a tidal wave of emotion, which I expelled back at the cause.

Holding nothing back, my fists hammered against his chest becoming stronger with every thrash; and how I screamed.

They were twisted cries of a wounded animal.

They were ear-piercing cries of a hurt child.

These cries combined; it was the sound of somebody broken.

Eventually my sobbing cut my breath short, making my arms rigid as I gasped, and taking advantage, Nuada took them in his grasp, and easily spun me around, so that my back was pressed against the tender flesh I had beaten. Too weak to stop him, I remained in that position until my throat could stand it no longer and was too raw for me to carry on.

My body felt like fire, and yet I was somehow tranquil due to my solemn liberation when I noticed that Nuada's face, was pressed into the crook of my neck, and unable to keep my own head up, I rested it atop his silver hair.

"how dare you," I croaked, "how dare you invade our lives now, after you chose to abandon us…abandon **_me!"_**

He said nothing against my accusation, keeping himself fixed in place where I couldn't see him.

"will you say nothing to me Nuada?" my lips were dry and cracked, so I licked them while I lifted my cheek off of him, to stare at the ceiling, "have you truly nothing to say?"

For a moment, he didn't…but he did clutch me tighter to him.

"it was you who found me first; that night in the abandoned railway."

His hand let go of my arm to creep along where the organ beat beneath my breast, and the air I had gained back into my aching lungs was released with a gasp.

"Our hearts called to one another; our bond…"

A touch as intimate as this, was almost foreign to me, awakening things I had not experienced since we last shared a bed, and despite myself, it would have been easy to give in and I wanted to. With one touch Nuada could make me forget the world, and concentrate only on him. This having not changed, and I was glad, but in these circumstances, where I had promised the king to stop Nuada from controlling the golden army, it was also dangerous.

If I gave myself up, Nuada would be able to read me, and the conversations which had transpired between the king and I, between myself and Una, they would ring in his ear, revealing my plan, and If that happened, then there would be no chance in my running away from him to keep the crown piece safe.

I would be a captive, as he gained the final piece and unleashed hell on the world.

The reminder of this caused me to whip myself out of his possession, but he still cradled the empty space I left, not comprehending that I was not there, as he could still feel traces of me lingering, as I could with him.

Forcing the distance, our desperation hung there between us, it speaking louder than we could allow ourselves to, and I had to look away, when my vision started to blur again.

"I think you forget, Nuada; it was you who permitted our bond to break by leaving me."

I jolted some, in memory of when I had first felt it crack.

it was atop a hill, with a cheering crowd below, just after King Balor had made that pact with the humans. And it was the second my husband turned his back on me.

By the gods, it would have hurt less if he would have just run my heart through with his sword, and I would have thanked him while he did so for the merciful act, rather than wallowing in this torturous pain for as long as I have, and the effects of a bond breaking, are not just internal.

My once snow white complexion, was ashen, allowing for the healthy golden hue that smoked around an elf's eyes and tinted their mouths, to darken to black. Gazing into a mirror, I had watched this happen to me when I had fallen in a deep depression, and the light of life faded within.

However, I will admit that seeing that Nuada shared these qualities, did in fact take me off guard, since I knew what it was I had to endure in order to end up as I am, making me wonder if he had shared those experiences, and wanting to doubt it, when I have had it in my head that separating from me had been a simple matter; otherwise how could he have done it?

He reached out his fingers and kept them level to where my cheek was, the chemistry so electrifying, that it made the spot it hovered over tingle.

Was he…guilty?

…

At the same time as this elven woman being his Nimue; she had changed so much in his absence.

Although she had, of course, been in her own way a strong character, she did have this tendency to rely on others to instil the belief within herself, and it was a result of her being quite alone during her childhood.

With no parents, and her brother constantly away from home, no one was really there to show her what she was capable of.

The day they had met even, Nimue had been this shy flower, afraid to bloom, and it took being with Nuada to make her petals flourish.

And yet here she was, still as beautiful as ever, with his dreams having not done her any justice, but also, no longer timid or afraid to speak her mind, in fear of displeasing others.

From the moment her fist had first fallen upon him, she showed Nuada a glimpse of the fighter she had become, and that he had always known her to be, having watched her train beside her brother, and he would be proud, if it weren't for the guilt he harboured, for making it the only choice Nimue had, so that she could learn to carry on.

Nuada thought that the hate in her for what he had done, would have far outweighed the suffering, and he would not have blamed her in the least, but because of her face, he could see that like him, she had been drowning. Cut off from the air, from the sun. The world has been nothing without the other.

Gazing at her, Nuada was at a loss for words, and could say no more than, "oh, Nimue."

He wanted to take her then and there; wanted nothing more than to mend his spirit and hers also, as their bodies became one, because without her, there was only darkness, and it has consumed Nuada entirely, where he could think of nothing else, but vengeance, for he blamed the humans for everything that has happened.

His peoples suffering; And then taking from Nuada, the love of his life.

His hand which was elevated, would have grabbed the back of her silken hair, and pressed her lips against his and never let go. However, before he could act on that desire, Nimue was taken by another surge of anger, and slapped his hand aside.

"your punishment was a cruel one after my so called betrayal. Was it not?" she scoffed.

Without her gift, Nimue had skill in reading Nuada like a book, whether she knew it or not, and what she had mistaken for pity, she did not well reciprocate.

Despite her fine gown, she was wearing a rather thick armour. Prepared for anything he might do to appeal to her forgiving nature, which he was foolish enough to think he could earn. But more than that; she was keeping secrets behind that shield, because although his end of the bond emanated about him like the rays of the burning sun, no tether could find the end of hers to reconnect with.

And although he wanted to trust her; again she was much changed, so Nuada could not help but be suspicious of her. Even if he wanted to deny it to himself.

He would give no apology to his wife, for now was not the time, when it was evident that she would not listen.

So he decided to be honest.

"I will admit; I was furious at you for so long."

His stomach turned to see Nimue flinch, but he carried on.

"victory was assured for us. It was there ripe for the taking had we only pushed on; and when I thought of what we had lost because of you and my father's weakness-"

He couldn't keep the bitterness at bay, even if he had wanted to try, and it soured the taste on his tongue, when he listed off what he had longed for.

"Children of our own, running free without fear of death. A world that was green, and a future that was ours to mould..."

At night Nuada could see those things, standing in the meadow he had promised Nimue she would bask in, after the death of her brother Corvin, and the happiness he felt was enough that when he woke, and the dream was gone; it actually made him weep.

An elven warrior…weeping.

"for the life of me," he breathed, "I couldn't understand why you would want to prevent that from happening."

Nuada could tell that Nimue was taken by the appeal of the dream, letting him know that she was no stranger to it, and has in fact, contemplated how different their present could be, now this very minute.

The prince had hoped that she had thought about it, as it meant that the decision she had made to stop the army, hadn't been a careless one.

Having been encircling her as he spoke, Nuada couldn't help but beam, because he knew the reason why she did what she did.

"then it occurred to me, that one so pure of heart, could not possibly condone the work of the Golden Army."

And the notion made the clouds of fury disperse where his wife was concerned, and instead of blaming her, he blamed himself for not sheltering her from the ruthlessness, which was the cost for freedom.

"…I should never have allowed you to leave the palace."

She seemed to take offence by Nuada's use of the term 'allowed'.

Squaring her shoulders, Nimue assured him, "you could not have stopped me! I wanted to see for myself what I had unleashed on the humans. I had to learn from that grave mistake. That there's no justification behind ruthless slaughter."

Nuada would not have called saving the lives of his people, a 'grave mistake.' Had the golden army been proposed earlier in the war; then maybe Corvin would have counted among those who were spared. Instead, it was after a battle had already been fought and done with, that Nuada found his lifelong friend. Sprawled on the dirt, it was impossible that he could still be alive considering the state of him, and it was cruel that he still was. The blood pooling inside his mouth, made it difficult for Corvin to speak, but the soldier had signalled for his prince to end the pain, and out of loyalty Nuada did as he asked.

The circumstance of her brother's death, Nuada had not gone into detail. However, the humans had been just as ruthless as the Golden Army, on many occasions beyond the once which the machines were, and they had showed no sympathy upon the magical folk, as Nimue did with them.

Corvin was just one of many, who left behind people to mourn him, and not all who died by the human's hands were soldiers, since there were civilians whose villages were attacked to provoke the crown.

Women, children, innocent creatures like the unicorn…

To Nuada, they were all the justification he needed, to do what he had planned.

"it seems… that we stand on opposing sides, my dear Nimue. And we will do what we think is right."

She nodded, moving her hand to rest upon her ornate belt, "on that we are both agreed."

The movement caught Nuada's attention, and he followed where she trailed, stunned to see what was fitted into the centre, as if to taunt him.

Nuada went to examine the thing closer, but he was prevented from making the first step, as the chamberlain returned.

"your majesties, if you would please; follow me."

…..

I had not realised I had been holding my breath, after committing the folly of drawing Nuada's attention to the crown piece.

I cursed myself for being so foolish, and could have rushed at the Chamberlain with joy as he approached. Only I snapped myself out of that lunacy rather quickly and obliged finally to being taken to what passed now as the throne room.

Extending his arm with a bow, I would have walked passed the prince, had he not asked for the honour in being my escort, and as my left hand flattened to cover the third piece, the right accepted, and slipped into the crook of Nuada's arm instinctively, and he smiled at me like we were attending a ball, or some other function, reminiscing on how things used to be.

I think, had he not offered to guide me where the chamberlain led, I would have at some point refused to go any further.

Stalling the inevitable, just to keep King Balor alive, for a few moments more.

Then I remembered what he had told to me.

 ** _'_** ** _one thing is clear to me Nimue. The angel of death is above us waiting, and it shall be me he takes.'_**

Keeping in pace with Nuada, I ignored the rusty obstacle that stood in the way of me and the sky, conjuring to mind those black, black wings.

 _'_ _please angel, when you come to collect the king, you will have in your possession such precious cargo…so let him know what peace feels like again. I beg of you.'_

Who knew whether my prayer was heard or not, but as the elf I pleaded on the behalf of came into view, my faith made it so that my words were lifted ever higher, and although the beloved son he had not seen in centuries had come into his presence again, the king still searched for reassurance, that I myself was okay.

With high ranking families surrounding us, goblins, trolls and dwarves among the elves, Nuada sneered at the location where the nobles had gathered, and made no effort in hiding his disgust.

I should have scolded him for being so insolent before his father, except I will admit this bothered me also, and I would be quite the hypocrite to pretended otherwise.

Still on his arm, the stares in our direction made me uneasy, especially the guards, who would not miss a single beat. They were just waiting for Nuada to make the anticipated assault. However, there was no outcome where the blood guard would be the victors.

This sparked some conflict within me, because I could not deny that I shall be glad that Nuada will live; only, his survival was also what cemented Balor's death.

Tossing me in an impossible position between profound relief and severe guilt.

The shaking made Nuada reluctant to let go of me, and I was touched by his consideration and did the deed for him, so that he could confront his father, who was a king first and foremost, and before these people, would demand the formal introduction he was owed.

As Nuada kneeled, I spared a glance and spotted my young handmaiden who, true to her word, kept with her the cloak I had asked for, and though I could not join Una, less I make my shadow in Wink notice her, she bustled through the crowd to be as close as she could to me, and having her near was one less thing I had to worry about.

 _"_ _father,"_ Nuada greeted in elvish, and the king beckoned him to stand.

 _"_ _Why have you done this?"_ Balor's voice trembled with anger, _"_ _Why?"_

Any desire Nuada had to be embraced warmly by the father he loved was gone, and he gave his case before the council, defiant to the very last, when he chose to speak in the common tongue, to prove how our own language was lost, when what generation there was to take the elves into the dismal future, could not even speak our ancient tongue, for I knew this applied to Una, who had a small understanding of few phrases, which I had to teach her.

"To set us free. All of us, Father."

King Balor shook his head in defeat, as it had been clear to him that he would not make Nuada see reason, no matter what he said, making the conversation futile when he could anticipate his son's next response, and what it was he was leading up to.

" _You break an old truce, between our people and the humans."_

"A truce based on shame!" Nuada snapped, "The humans; The humans have forgotten the gods, destroyed the Earth, and for what?"

He directed this at the council.

"Parking lots, shopping malls. Greed has burnt a hole in their heart, that can never be filled.  
They will never have enough!"

There was a murmur of agreement, with Nuada's passion having an effect on those who had gathered. I looked and saw that Una herself wore a thoughtful expression, deliberating the truth in the prince's words which was to be expected, when everything he said was right.

If there was something that I could redeem Nuada with in this grand scheme of his, it was that his motives were not selfish in the least. In the BPRD, I had seen evil individuals, and Nuada did not come close to any of them, making him an altogether unusual foe.

He wanted to balance the scales, which the humans would not take too kindly, and keep fighting to hold on to what they believed was theirs, and it was that which assured the races downfall.

To wipe out the humans will take an awful lot of bloodshed.

And though I am not particularly fond of them, I will not allow Nuada to damn his soul with their murder.

Nuada will think I am fighting against him, but really I am fighting **_for_** him.

 _"_ _What the humans do is in their nature,"_ Balor didn't regard this as an excuse himself, let alone Nuada, but still he commanded, _"_ _honour the deal, as we have done!"_

The prince laughed pitifully at his father.

"Honour… Look at this place! Where is the honour in it? Father, you were once a proud warrior, when did you become their pet?"

More than Nuada could know, that cut king Balor deep, who has ever been a prideful elf, which he owed to his legendary youth, for there was no elven king before Balor, after he united the magical folk into one kingdom and put an end to all the rebellions.

I had not known these stories myself, and was amazed by the tales Nuada told me to send me off to sleep. I had even told them to Hellboy when he was a child, proving to be favourites of his when he asked that I retell them night after night.

I doubt anyone here could say this was something which they knew about their king, now that the pact with the humans has over shadowed how he came into his crown.

"I returned from exile to wage war and reclaim our land, our birth right! And for that I will call upon the help of all my people, and they will answer! The good, the bad and the worst."

From his pocket Nuada retrieved a gold artefact, which he had stolen from the same auction I had investigated with my friends, and held it high for all to see. Few in the crowd gasped, others like King Balor might have already guessed his plan and it was they who did nothing in response, probably siding with the prince, if it meant gaining back their riches.

 _"_ _The Golden Army…You can't be that mad my son."_

Instead of projecting his voice, Balor was quiet, reaching out to Nuada alone, wishing for his heir to see the error in his ways, and failing.

"Perhaps I am. Perhaps they made me so."

This was the first time I had seen any sign of my Nuada present here in this chamber, instead of the wilful and determined avenger and I refused to stand idle any longer, needing to pitch in my argument also in this, as part of the royal family.

I stepped forward keeping a barrier over the piece I had, " _no amount of rain can wash away the blood that shall spill. The earth you wish to create from that, it will be tainted Nuada. Just Let the army rest. If our end has come, then let us fade. I would rather that than war."_

Nuada narrowed his gold eyes, as if I had slapped him with my sincerity.

"We will not fade."

There was a momentary pause.

 _"_ _For the last time, I ask you my son...Is this the path you want to take?"_

Was I naïve to think Nuada would say no, and that he would change his mind?

The answer was unbelievably so, because he did not hesitate with his reply at all.

"It is. I'm sorry, Father."

 _"_ _Then, you leave me no choice; Death!"_

 _"_ And you, my wife, are you at peace with your king's verdict?"

I stared at Balor's hunched body. He was tired and wary; and it was his time to take his leave of the world. And though it was hard to let him go, we had said our goodbyes, something which most people didn't get the chance to do.

Silently I thanked him for all that he had done for me, while sending my love to him and when I was finally ready, I tucked my chin down to my chest in acknowledgement to my king, without letting on to Nuada it was his father I knew was about to die, and not him.

"I am."

Wink groaned in worry for his prince, and like a coward I refused to look my husband in the face, knowing it would kill me to see the scolding betrayal there, when he did not understand my hidden meaning, of who I was actually condoning to die.

His tone was without emotion, embodying the warrior.

"Then very well. Death it is."

Ducking, Nuada avoided one large butcher knife which would have severed him in two, and blocked a punch from a second as he apprehended another weapon the guards keep on their person, after the prince had in fact surrendered his own lances, to the chamberlain as we walked towards the throne room. He did not use the guards own weapon to kill him though, choosing to swing over and reposition him instead, so that Nuada was the dominate and able to break the said limb.

As the guard crumpled to the floor, he blocked another blow, and fatally pierced a belly, turning towards the entranceway when he heard oncoming footsteps.

Behind wink and I, these footsteps were of two more guards, making the troll smile with glee as he seized the opportunity and laid into one with his iron fist, while I discreetly unsheathed one of my blades and plunged it into where the seconds kidney would be. Still he kept on running towards Nuada, and the troll expelled on a chain his mechanical hand to finish the guard off for me.

Nothing got passed Nuada, and he rose a questionable brow at my actions. However, he could not dwell on it, and scraped his blade along the floor, still having numerous to kill. Without fear, Nuada met them head on, and as if it were a synchronized dance, he knew what to do and when to do it, letting his sword clang with others, to prevent them from fulfilling the intent they had.

So many ducks and turns and jumps, you didn't know what was happening as more blood guard fell limp to the ground, and the prince got a hold of another sword, favouring with smaller weaponry to carry two instead of the one, which was very much like myself.

One guard was fixed into place, as Nuada pierced his foot, and while it was busy howling in pain at that, he swiftly made him a head shorter, gliding over a fire pit, to take another head while he was at it.

Although, when he landed, their poor skill against the prince were making the guard angry, and defending his front and back, proved a bit more of a challenge, when they were fired up.

With a push, one faltered allowing him to cross blades with the one that remained, and as their weapons screeched, from rubbing against each other, the guard whipped Nuada's head back with a crunching punch.

"Nuada!" I cried, my heart leaping into my mouth, but he came out on top, prolonging one's death, so he could break his focus from the fight and behold me.

Blood oozed from his nose, and my breath caught at the back of my throat.

All there was left were two guards, and then his father.

Nuada yanked his sword from a body and spun it in his hands.

 **'** **this is it'** I thought.

Tearing my gaze off the scene, Wink was busy playing with a corpse in mockery of the blood guards skill, giving me the chance to rush over to Una.

Snatching the folded fabric, I couldn't even spare a second to say anything to her, and I was gone, running as fast as my legs could carry me to a secret tunnel, only Balor had known existed here, and revealed to me so that I may use it in my escape.

It was not far, as I trusted the directions he had given me, however with the magic emanating off the wall, I delayed my entering through it.

"Where is she Wink, where is she?"

The bracelet I wore and had returned to me not long ago; it had shone with three diamonds, symbolizing three living royal family members.

Myself, Nuada and Balor.

Except now; that number had dwindled, and another diamond had darkened to black with a life being extinguished, leaving only me and my husband.

"Go find her! Now, Find her!"

 **'** **the king is dead, long live the king.'**

Now a hunted elf, I stepped into the tunnel…and disappeared.

…

Thank you for any reviews, I do enjoy hearing your feedback J xxx


	11. Chapter 11

Lingering in the tunnels was a dangerous thing, because you never knew who occupied the darkness, thus concealing my identity with the cloak, was the first thing on my agenda.

Rumour has it, there remained to be creatures which have yet to be discovered, and it was usually those beings who were held accountable for any disappearances. These things, were the stuff of horror stories. Ways to make people cautious when travelling this way and because of that, it was unclear to me whether they existed, or were completely fictional. Either way, the child in me who used to gasp at the moment they jumped out at an unfortunate character, made me look anxiously over my shoulder, and put speed in me to conceal my finery.

Discarding my coronet, I forced my mass of hair into the hood before I rose it over my head, noticing that another separate piece of fabric had fallen at my feet. Retrieving the item, I unrumpled it to see that it was a veil that would sit beneath my eyes, and it was something which I had not thought of, but was glad that Una had.

I thanked her silently, tying it in place and when I was finally convinced none should recognise me, I thought of my destination, to influence the tunnel into leading me there.

As I said before, time was not the same here. The hours walk, would be a mere couple of minutes in reality, becoming nothing too extreme to rob you of a day, and when I stepped out into the open, I found that it was a beautiful morning, despite the night's events.

True, the city's cold buildings blocked the rising sun, but I could still see enough of its influence, causing the clouds to awaken with deep tones of orange, red and purple.

It appeared so vibrant up there, creating quite the shocking contrast to the murky grey around me, and that breath-taking sky, seemed to be wasted on this place, and I wondered, who besides me, actually cared to gaze upwards and appreciate another day that they were alive, when for Balor, the one before this, had been his last.

Although it was still early, and the streets were empty, this wasn't the time or place to deal with my grief, when at any moment a stray human might discover me standing in this dank alleyway, and I would rather not deal with such scrutiny, as I would be to them, an odd sight indeed.

I needed to find somewhere that I could conceal myself from the humans, when daytime usually belonged to them, and get some rest at the same time. To do that, my safest option, would be to enter into my own world.

However, would it be any different there? for I was certain that word would have surely spread by now of the wanted princess, but seeing that I had some business in the Troll Market in any case, I decided to risk being scrutinised by my own kind also.

Sixty years I was a part of the BPRD; and in those sixty years, the agency had longed to discover the location of this market, knowing that I lied whenever I said I did not know it, and changed the subject. That didn't stop them from trying though, and they had come close in its discovery a number of times, only I was always there to put them off the scent and lead them on a false trail.

The BPRD, was now fully convinced that Troll Market did not lay beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, when actually; it did. And there was no sorcery present to conceal it from them. Just the meat locker of a slaughter house.

weaving through the carcases of animals, hanging off of hooks, this part was the trickiest, since humans still operated here, and one might come along to butcher further what they had here in their inventory. So as silently as I could muster, the lever which was blended into the paintwork of the 'wall', so that a human's eye would pass over it, was grasped, and I had barely managed to open it, when I squeezed myself through the slither of gap.

The spot where I stood now, it was possible that I could come across someone here, save for the silence, and as hard as I tried, I could pick up no thoughts, and proceeded to the final door, which was secured by a combination lock.

Around the world, there were many markets like this, and each one had their own unique code, significant to its construction.

Turning the symbols, which represented numbers, I didn't need to spare any deliberation over what to enter here.

It was in fact a date, which Gooba the Goblin had both his hands amputated and preserved.

Seems strange I know, but it was he who spent decades building the market deep beneath the human world, to grant his kin somewhere of refuge and gathering, and so his hands he wished to stand as I reminder of his dedication to give them that, locating them at the heart of the market for all to see them on display.

And there they have remained.

Having turned the knobs to the correct numbers, I listened to the mechanics clinking about as the door rolled to the side, permitting me to join the busy streets.

Everything from mythological, fantasy and the supernatural, could be found down here in this market of significant magnitude, where it was like a labyrinth of booths, inns and taverns, to name but a few of what this place had to offer, in order to cater to the strange and unusuals' every need.

I was almost overwhelmed by the extreme activity, walking down paths which were choked with various individuals, and it wouldn't have shocked me if I continued to move with the current, even when I had stopped moving my feet.

"flowers for the lady?"

I was asked by a dragon lady; whose scale beard was sharp like spikes, poking out around her jaw.

"fresh crystal berries!"

A wailer claimed, and seemingly lied when I approached close enough to peek into his basket.

"Lithy weed to rid you of your cares?"

The third was a tempting offer, but Lithy weed was a rare thing, and many plants grew sharing its likeness, though none of its effects and I didn't want to chance it.

The shouting for me to purchase something, never stopped from one end of the street to the other, and eventually, I became too tired to respond with a polite refusal, drifting to the first inn I came across, without first judging it from the outside.

A bell tolled above me, summoning a fairy behind a desk.

Green skinned, she chittered away in no tongue of her own, though it was often mistaken that the fairies did have a language. However, it was due to the fact that our ears didn't pick up their quiet voices very well when they spoke, and depending on how fast they were in their sentences, I suppose they did sound rather musical, and you just had to attune yourself to what word each 'note' meant.

Exhausted, it was a strain for me to give her the necessary concentration it took to understand what she asked, so I skipped what I assumed was her wanting to take my details, and went right to the payment of the room I required, which seemed to do the trick in shutting her up.

With no coin on me, I had removed from my finger I meaningless ring, Una had put there when she had dressed me, and slammed it down. The exotic rock glittered in the silver band, and was probably worth more than the asking price of the room, but I didn't care.

I just wanted to sleep.

The fairy almost imploded with her luck of having me as a customer, since they were such greedy creatures, and I had immediately become her favourite person to grace the earth, for whom she could not do enough for, on the chance I might reward her greatly again for her kindness, and she escorted me, to what she claimed was the best room in the whole building.

Her wings, as tiny as they were, beat faster than a humming birds and she was gone before I had reached the staircase, which stood like a mountain in my eyes. When I had not followed her, she came back to make sure that I was alright, and waited the length of time it took me to reach the top floor.

Being the furthest room away, she told me to blow into the keyhole, and when I did, my breath would be the only thing that could unlock the door, and that I was safe from any intrusion.

She couldn't possibly know how much of a relief that was to hear and I thanked her immensely for her help, before I shut myself away, and collapsed onto the bed, still wearing my cloak and veil.

Unconscious, as soon as my head hit the pillow.

…

 _The next thing I knew, I was rocking in a carriage, and it made my body bustle with the turning of its wheels, as we approached the Guardian. I could hear him arise, and configure his form out of the rock strewn on the grass, leaving a gaping hole in his torso, big enough for us to pass through._

 _I parted the windows curtain, seeing his carved face looming above and he disappeared into darkness, teleporting us further beneath the soil, until a flickering, off in the distance, illuminated the tunnels walls, where clay plates had been attached, etched with runes._

 _We burst forth then, into this haven of fiery tones, warm like the autumnal season, having to wind down to the bottom, on paths which weaved in correspondence to how the foundations were lain out, and at the same time as the elves not wanting to manipulate how nature influenced this great cavern, which spanned across six miles, the city also oozed this oriental grandeur, because of our art._

 _shapes brought together to depict or represent something of meaning, like our Gods, we favoured that, over simply drawing the thing for what it was, and it covered every inch of the city, with no part any richer than the next, when the peasantry would inhabit the top of the city, leading downwards to the nobles on the bottom floor._

 _With this being our destination, I leaned forwards when the marble columns were beginning to look more impressive, rather than a line of specks and they carried on to a heightened stairway, erected to lead those, to the gate of the palace._

 _With them in view, the dread which had been brewing in the pit of my stomach, since we started on our journey, suddenly leapt up to claim my heart, tightening its hold painfully when the minutes which were the countdown to our arrival lessened, and lessened._

 _All I could do was blink, hoping that each time I did so, I would wake in my own bed again, making this all a lie. However, no matter how hard I did; this wasn't the case._

 _"…_ _Corvin," I gasped, feeling my body temperature plummet, "I don't think I can do this."_

 _The thing about my brother which struck you, was his immense height. Well over six feet tall, being crammed in a confined space as this, almost made his knees rest right under his chin, and he would groan from want of needing to stretch his legs, so our impending arrival was something he anticipated, unlike me._

 _Confused, he hadn't understood my reluctance to come to the capital, when he first told me of his intentions, hoping that I might perhaps come around to the idea during our travels. For his sake, I tried to imagine what Bethmora might have in store for one such as I, and failed to actually see a future where I could be content, when I feared of doing something to shame my brother, who was a hero here, as Sir Corvin the Bold._

 _"_ _what makes you say that?" he asked, genuinely interested in what the cause could be for my obvious discomfort, and he reached out for my hand._

 _I coward from his touch, when he frowned with concern at how cold it was, and sighed, knowing I could not hide anything from him, nor wanted to keep secrets, as that was never how our relationship worked, and he would be able to tell if I were lying straight away, which was for right now, a pain._

 _"_ _I'm only one person, and Bethmora," my eyes circled the vast city again, and I dropped the curtain to separate myself from it, whispering, "…it's just so big."_

 _My brother's reputation, was a little on the daunting side._

 _for twenty-five years, all I have ever amounted to was a simple country girl, with no other obligation, except to be one's self, and go about doing as I wished, when I wanted to do it, and never would I think that I was being judged, when the servants in my household, I had known since infancy._

 _Only now, I was entering into unknown territory, where my brother has strived to build himself quite the impressive reputation, starting from before I was even born, and that prospect, was very daunting, when I thought that now I must live up too many expectations, to prove myself worthy of being Corvin's sister, while making him proud to call me such._

 _And in my head, I had very little confidence that I would succeed in establishing my worth; and if that be so, I hated to think that I would as consequence effect how others regarded Corvin._

 _Softly he chuckled, trying to lighten the mood, "and the countryside isn't? Oh Nimue, it's a new world for you, just open your eyes to it."_

 _I started trembling in response to his words, and his smile faded._

 _"_ _you know;" he began, "I blame myself for your fear."_

 _I wanted to object to him blaming himself for my weakness, but he stopped me before I could say anything._

 _"_ _I've hidden you away for far too long and things can't continue to be like that."_

 _He was referring to our parents._

 _In the aftermath of their murder, he had been cut deep to think of how easily I could have followed in their violent fate, as an innocent babe barely a few months' old. To this day, his grief for them was deep, and it was the driving force behind his absolute determination, to keep me safe, and that had meant complete isolation from civilian life, both magical and human._

 _Twenty-five years, and other than my brother, I have known only a handful of people._

 _The cook, cleaner, my governess, and Yigori of course who was a fanged beast, much like a wolf, only on a much larger scale, with fur the colour of the midnight sky. He was charged with patrolling the borders of my humble estate, and whose back I would climb on when I fancied a change of scenery besides four stone walls._

 _Before we left, Corvin had dismissed the creature from his duty of protection, and for him it meant he was free forever more from any kind of servitude, and to roam the land as he willed. The beast deserved as much, but he I would miss most of all, for Yigori had been a true and loyal friend._

 _Reminiscing on the past, Corvin shook himself out of the depression any reminder of our mother and father had on him, and returned to being his usual happy go lucky self, and wanted to inspire the same attitude in me._

 _"_ _oh and what better way of making your introduction, than during a ball!"_

 _In all honesty, I was a little annoyed at Corvin._

 _As he said himself, it was he who shaped me into being the shy elf that I am, yet all of a sudden, he now expects me to turn that around and burst with enthusiasm for being taken away from what was my comfort zone, and then dare to ask all the while that I praise him for it._

 _I wouldn't mind so much, but he gave me no chance to first come around to the idea of now living in the capital, so that I may prepare myself for such a drastic change, that was right around the bend, and then in his efforts to socialise me into society, I alone have been paying for that, though he tried to make my coming out something to be excited over._

 _I sneered at him and defiantly, crossed my arms._

 _"_ _I've been to one before and personally, I don't see what all the fuss is about."_

 _Corvin snorted, "tea parties with your dolls, do not count, and neither does reading about them."_

 _He had me beat there I'll admit and I nervously started to stroke a lock of my long hair, which was the same length as Corvin's, only he preferred to braid his, so that it swung at the back of his knees when he walked. With it out of his face, Corvin's bone structure was defined, making his sharp cheekbones prominent enough that you wouldn't be surprised if they cut you, as they made his large eyes appear sunken._

 _Without doing anything, his expression was constantly set in a smoulder, and I could only imagine how the women might fight for his affection, with a handsome face such as that._

 _Corvin sure was dressed for a ball, wearing his best red plate armour, that gave brief glimpses of the gold chainmail beneath. Polished and refined, he looked the part to be heading for a ball. Although, that wasn't to say that I didn't._

 _Part of Corvin managing to coerce me into getting into the carriage was that he had gifted me with the gown I was wearing, and I won't deny it, that my affection could be won with a good dress, when I have spent my adolescent training myself to become a seamstress._

 _Thus, this was art I could appreciate, when upon opening the box, I was hit with a design that recreated a misty meadow, in the form of a gown._

 _Fitting me to a tee, the airy layers of grey tulle, swept across my breasts, along my shoulders and down my arms, over the pale blue satin slip, adding another pop of colour with the wild flowers scattered above, with crystals to capture morning dew drops._

 _My admiration over it had not stopped, as I delicately played with some part of it or another, and I kicked myself for not putting up a fight because of it and shrugged, "either way, I think I'd rather be home."_

 _Corvin was quick to respond, frowning at my blatant lie, when there was no emotional connection to the manor for either of us, and all I have ever felt there was this strain of slowly suffocating. Smiling, only when Corvin came to visit me from Bethmora._

 _"_ _that place wasn't a home, sweet sister, and I can no longer count on you being safe there, while I tend to my duties here. Besides the capital; No place is truly safe now…"_

 _I stayed silent, unable to deny his claim, when not long before he had come for me, Yigori had mauled some hunters in the woods who had travelled far past human borders indeed, to have come near to finding me._

 _That was an incident which I had not revealed to Corvin, and had made Yigori promise not to tell him about either, when it wasn't as if I had been without the beast when it had happened. In fact, when he had been busy chasing down four, one human emerged from the brush to come after me, but fortunately I had my lances, and had dealt with him rather swiftly, having sensed him with my gift beforehand._

 _However, he had been my first kill, and the deed had left me feeling…shameful._

 _Especially when I was privy to his last thoughts before death, and could see through his memories, the faces of his family._

 _A wife, many sons and a daughter…_

 _I could see them as if they were sat before me instead of Corvin, who continued talking._

 _"_ _in any case," I managed to comprehend in the latter part of what he had been rambling on about, "the nobles will miss you."_

 _I laughed out aloud at that, "how can they if they have never met me."_

 _Soothing his crammed knees again, Corvin admitted "well they want to, since I have talked about you so often with them."_

 _Before I could reply, a chorus of giggling was heard beyond the carriage and I opened the curtain again to cautiously peek out through the small gap I had made, and there was a cluster of silver heads talking actively amongst themselves, and I realised that these would now be the likes of which I would be surrounding myself with._

 _"_ _hmm," my nose scrunched up, "they will soon lose interest when they find out how boring I am."_

 _"_ _Nimue, try to look at this in a more positive light, will you! and who knows-"_

 _As if he had planned it, the wheels of our transportation stopped as soon as he had cut off his sentence to finish when he bounded for the doors latch and stepped outside, offering me his hand._

 _"_ _-this may be the making of you."_

 _I grimaced, wanting to stay hidden a bit longer when behind my brother and at the foot of the stairway, that same group of nobles I had seen, lingered to witness who their famed knight was assisting out of the carriage._

 _For a moment he followed where my gaze led, inclined his head in their direction, and turned back at me with a cheeky grin._

 _"_ _come on… it just one foot; then the other."_

 _…_ _.._

I awoke twelve hours later.

My body aching on the hard mattress, which was topped by a bamboo covering to protect it, which was something that went with the theme of my room, being influenced by the Asian culture, when the bed frame was also closer to the ground than I was used to.

I let my hood fall for that second to unburden my hair and let myself breath more normally, without the veil getting in the way, noticing that there was a small washbasin on a vanity. Going to it, I soaked the cloth in the cool, rose petal water, and washed the rest of my slumber away.

It was a refreshing thing, as I concentrated on soothing the creak out of my neck, and I was surprised by the near serenity I embodied, having just dreamt about my brother.

Funny…

I had almost forgotten what he had looked like, since any memory I have had of Corvin, had until that point been shadowed by the sight of Wink laying a body before me, as it stained a white blanket crimson.

His body, which I hadn't been allowed to see, has haunted me with the injustice, of everything good he had done, being repaid in cruel death.

Now however, it was like that weight had been lifted off of me, and I envisioned his smile again, and the way he used to playfully twirl me around in his arms, no matter my age or title, when to him I would always be his sister first, and most importantly of all.

Interrupted by a knock at the door, I instantly froze on the spot and tried not to make any sound, and scolded myself for my stupidity as I flexed my fingers to sense who my visitor could possibly be.

'hey missy!' the receptionist sang.

Rolling my eyes, I unlocked the door and opened it just a crack to let her through, which she did without asking, in that arrogant manner fairies normally have, and she floated there in the middle of the room.

"how can I help?" I asked, a little more chipper than during our first encounter, which goes to show the wonders a good sleep could do, when it finally lacked in any nightmares, and I appreciated the feeling of being refreshed, knowing that it didn't happen too often.

Appearing like she had torn herself from a mossy tree, her green form wasn't clothed as such as just being covered in moss, and any other forest fairy, would be her mirror image.

I know times have changed immensely now, but it was still so strange to think of a being that once kept the trees thriving, now working in an inn, but from what Abe had told me of the destruction of those environments, an inn located at the Troll Market would seem to be the safest option for her, and yet, without her kind, there would be no hope of the forests survival, even if new trees were planted.

'well, considering no one's seen you, I wanted to make sure you were still alive, since it would be hard to offer this room out again if you weren't; and since the bell hasn't rung for anything either, I thought you might be hungry.'

She signalled to the silk red rope hanging from the ceiling, that would trigger a bell down at reception to notify the fairy of any of her guests needs, and at the mention of food, my stomach growled.

She eyed me for the undignified sound.

'I take it you are hungry then?'

I nodded, admitting 'I can't actually remember when I've last eaten anything.'

It would have been, if memory serves me well, before I had joined Abraham in the library, so around the twenty-four-hour mark, was the last time I had indulged on some toasted bread, jam and a selection of fruit…

My stomach growled again, only more fiercely, and I didn't doubt that my appetite would rival even that of Hellboy's, who needed a small army of cooks to feed him.

She shook her tiny head, 'well luckily, I came prepared.'

Somewhere on her person, the fairy had kept on her two vials; one a liquid and the other a powder, and pointed to the nightstand beside my bed.

'inside that there should be a bowl and goblet, fill the both with water.'

Her instruction came with some bite, and I reluctantly did as she said, setting them both out on the windows ledge when it was the only flat surface available.

I stood back and watched her small figure flit over to the items and assess the level of water inside each. Pleased, she then sprinkled the powder into the bowl and quickly, since she was about the same size as a tablespoon to actually use one, she motioned the contents into stirring by dipping her foot in it, and flying in a circle.

She yowled then as steam began to arise in the now bubbling concoction, and she glared my way as if I had forced her to do this, and moved on to the goblet, where liquid met liquid.

'swill this around, will you.'

Taking the cup, I did as she bade and exclaimed with pure and greedy joy at what had consumed the water, when the nectar of a Gevlin flower wasn't a beverage I had drank since my days at the palace.

With one gulp, the goblet was empty, and I clunked it back down, licking the corners of my mouth when the bowl had finished cooking into what I recognised as Creath, a very sweet bread, that will fill you right up, until the following day, depending on how much you eat of it, and judging by the size of it, that was possible for me to do.

Starving, I immediately began tearing at the newly formed loath with my teeth, making sounds of contentment with each swallow and forgetting there was someone else in the room with me.

'take your time, no one is going to take it from you.'

She was perched on the brim of the empty goblet, legs crossed, staring at me without pupils but two black pools, nestled in her head.

'I have to say, you're the first elf to come here.'

I tried to disguise my choking, but it ended up turning into a dry cough.

"is that so?" I mangled out, wishing for more nectar to wash down the lump in my throat, as I tried to act casual, when she was obviously interrogating me. so I tapped into her mind, to remain one step ahead of her.

'no one really hears much from you lot. Too proud they say to come wandering about with us mere commoners, and yet…'

She indicated to me, checking off the features that defined me as an elf, and were more visible now that I had left my hood down, motioning her hands in a way to finish her sentence, coming together to make 'and yet here you are.'

she giggled then, to try and pass for an innocent thing, who had no hidden agenda in being so curious about me, but even if I didn't know what she was doing, it was common knowledge that fairies were tricky things, and were never to be trusted, no matter the situation.

Since she expected a reply, I gave one, though it would make little difference.

"there isn't a place for my kin to go, so I've taken it upon myself to do what I wish."

She clapped her hands in approval, 'a rebellious elf!…so I take it you haven't heard of what's happened to the king then, no? that he's well…'

she ran a finger across her throat, making an ugly gagging sound all the while, and feigned to fall inside the cup like a lifeless body.

I wanted to scream at her for the total lack of respect she had towards her monarch, the anger seething in me while she was out of sight, but with some calming breaths I reigned it in to play along with the game of naivety.

"I can't believe that. Who would want to kill him?"

She popped up then, hanging her arms over the edge, 'just his son. The exiled prince, isn't so exiled anymore. Going on about a war, so I've been told, and killed the old elf, because he disagreed. I reckon his wifey would have had it next, only she ran away before he could do anything…strange that huh? my not seeing an elf at the market, and you just happen to turn up in the aftermath of all that.'

She patted her chin in mock deliberation, 'say, I wonder how much he'll pay the one who brings her in. A pretty price I would think, especially when she only has a piece of that bloody crown of something or other...'

That innocent pretence receded to make way for a devilish grin, and I gathered what I needed from her thoughts prior to her entering, to know she had a third vial that wasn't a food source at all, and was in fact filled with a potent powder that could paralyse a fully matured troll. And speaking of which, she had been in contact with one Mr Wink, who she had arranged to come pick me up, since she wouldn't have had any hope of carrying me by herself.

This meant, that I now risked running into someone, who has recently been familiarised with my scent and could track me down, and I had not yet done what I came here to do.

Probably a second before she was going to act herself, I smacked my hand down on the top of the goblet, forcing the fairy inside of it, and upturned the whole thing, so she was trapped, with the ledge beneath her feet.

I held it there, as her furious fists clanged the inside of it.

'let me out, you traitorous wench!' she cried at me.

Childishly, I couldn't resist taunting her in retaliation for her own games that led to this, and I drummed my fingers atop the goblet, at the fairy's dislike of my turning the tables.

'honestly, do you have any manners?'

Inside the goblet, I could still see her as if there was no barrier, and her lips thinned into a grim line.

'you're not the one inside a sodding kitchen utensil!'

At that she expanded her arms and legs to reach each side of her prison, and rattled her body to try and make the thing shake to earn her freedom, yelling all the while at the top of her lungs, which was an ear piercing thing, with her high pitched voice.

She almost succeeded in my letting go of the goblet to block my ears, but I endured her tantrum, with few grimaces, reminding her how the air supply might fall short if she carried on wasting her breath from acting this immature.

That soon put a stop to her, and with nothing else to do, she pouted, and the silence allowed me to speak in way that might appeal to her, which was to bargain…and vaguely threat.

"look, how about you and I make a little deal?"

Stubborn, she didn't jump at the chance, but that was too be expected, since you could say my choice of entrapping her bordered on the degrading side of things, considering her size, so her pride was badly bruised. Only, she didn't exactly refuse my proposition either, so I carried on.

'if you tell me how to get to Gregorin's Antique's, I will for one; set you free, and two; also restrain myself from giving your little treasure chest away to the first beggar I see on the street.'

Fairies were enamoured by sparkly things, especially those of precious stone dug up from the ground. They never spent nor did anything more with their fortune other than admire it, but their defence, though it contributed little to them, in a materialistic sort of way as you would think, was as mighty as a mother protecting their child. Even in death, as the creatures were not immortal despite popular belief, they would remain to refuse in revealing to any, the location of their horde, and this was no different to the one I had here with me.

'you wouldn't dare!'

Her venom did not lack in vigour because of her stature, and my eyes widened at her audacity. However, no fortune I could promise her, would make the fairy praise me for any longer than my ring had.

She hated me, because hate was all she had left, without a purpose in continuing the life of the forest. Empty, that and her excelling greed, was what she tried to fill the hole with.

And also why, she wanted to give me up to Nuada, to get her fix of gold maybe and be invigorated by it, to feel something of worth in herself, for a just a moment until she needed more.

She had an addiction, which I used to my advantage, instead of pitying her for it, as it was her vulgarity that was characteristically her own, and not an overview of her kin, that made that the case.

'…who says I have one, anyway!' She stuttered.

"I do," and I flicked the side of the goblet, so it rung in her ears.

"see I can read people really well, and I know you've got it hidden within the walls, using a supposed mouse hole, as your doorway to it. My ring, among other riches you've stolen from guests, it's all there starting on one floor, continuing up into the next. And I can tell you that your favourite sapphire necklace, could buy someone many more meals to come, rather than them living on scraps!"

Picking up on those details was enough to prove I wasn't lying, and her panic was what broke her, making the information come out in a rush.

'alright, alright; I'll tell you. Gregorin's shop, isn't far from here. It's just one road, if you turn right when you leave. Then go down the staircase, and it will be straight ahead of you. Blue it is, and empty since he sells pure crap.'

With my next move planned, I got up onto my feet, aware the fairy was listening out for my actions attentively, with the side of her head pressed against the clay.

Around the room, the bowl was too light for my taste and I noticed a book, levelling a wooden chairs leg, and I slipped it out from place.

It was a weighty, thick thing, and I smiled when I replaced my hand for it, to keep her trapped.

'oi," she tapped the goblet, trying hard to shuffle it and failing in the attempt, "I thought you were going to set me free!'

I ignored her curses, and walked over to the door, letting my footsteps haunt her, while she remained stuck in this room.

Before I turned the handle, I gave her more than she deserved in an explanation for apparently 'going against my word.'

'indeed I did promise, but you see; you lied to me. But don't worry I got what I needed. Two lefts, a walk down Pova street, and then indeed a staircase, but instead of it being in front of me, Gregorin is actually tucked away in a corner to the right.'

My ability had its perks, I'll admit and I fixed my disguise, as I walked into the corridor, letting my thanks for the fairy's hospitality, be the last thing she heard from me as I departed.


End file.
